Need You Now
by ecorbitt21
Summary: After the war, Harry is offered the postion of Defense teacher. Severus is struggling to define himself now that the one thing that has been constant is over. Will Harry break the curse on the position and help a struggling Potions Master? HP/SS
1. The End of the End

A/N: I am so sorry this has taken so long. I recently just moved, started school again, and just got internet working last week. In the move I managed to misplace the thumb drive containing this entire story. While trying to remember where I was taking this story I realized I really wasn't happy with where this was heading. I have fixed the minor errors in the prologue, rewrote some of chapter one and am currently working on chapter two. I can't guarantee how much will or won't change from now on, but everything is an attempt to make this story the best it can possibly be.

Disclaimer: So, it should be fairly obvious I am not the great JK Rowling, but for the sake of legality, I own nothing. I am merely borrowing the characters I like best and playing make believe.

Prologue: The End of the End

'This is it,' the young man thought, his heart pounding in his ears. 'I'm to die.' He was on his way to the Forbiden Forest where Death was waiting. Calmly he kept his head held high, daring himself not to think. Where was his Gryffindor bravery? He was at the edge of the forest now, chaos of battle surrounding him. Harry Potter would not fail. He would make sure that Voldemort stayed dead.

* * *

'Nagini,' was the only thought the Potions Master had in his head. He was lying in a pool of blood, most of which was his own. He had taken the anti-venom he created himself before coming to the Dark Lord's side. 'That bloody Elder Wand.' Once the bite had occurred and Harry bloody Potter had his memories, he prepared himself for the welcoming arms of Death. Though it was true that he had been expecting to die, there was still so much left that he had wished to accomplish that the fucking war had stolen from him. In a few seconds, Severus would finally have complete peace, submitting himself to the darkness that enveloped him.

* * *

Harry was facedown, silence surrounding him. That was, until a noise startled him. He sat up, almost immediately spotting the source. A small, naked child was under a seat, unwanted, stuffed out of sight, and struggling to breathe. He slowly drew near, a feeling of repulsion overwhelming him. Feeling like a coward he inched closer; he ought to at least comfort it, despite his repulsion.

"You cannot help."

He spun to see Albus Dumbledore walking toward him, wearing sweeping robes of midnight blue. "You wonderful boy! You brave, brave man. Let us walk."

Stunned, Harry followed Dumbledore's receding form. They took a seat on two chairs that Harry had not noticed before.

"But you're dead," said Harry.

"Oh yes," Dumbledore stated matter-of-factly.

"Then… I'm dead too?"

"Ah," said Dumbledore, his smile broadening. "That is the question, isn't it? On the whole, dear boy, I think not."

"Not?" repeated Harry.

"Not," said Dumbledore with the smile still plastered to his face.

"But…" Harry began, instinctively feeling for his scar, which wasn't there. "I should have died – I didn't defend myself! I meant to let him kill me!"

"And that will have made all the difference!"

Harry could only manage the word, "Explain."

The twinkle was evident in Dumbledore's eye. "But you already know."

"I let him kill me, so the part of his soul that was in me… has it gone?"

Dumbledore nodded enthusiastically. "Oh yes! He destroyed it. Your soul is whole, and completely your own, Harry."

"But if Voldemort used the Killing Curse and nobody died for me this time – how can I be alive?"

"I think you know," said Dumbledore. "Think back. Remember what he did in his ignorance, in his greed and his cruelty."

Harry thought; the answer rose to his lips easily, without effort. "He took my blood."

"Precisely!" said Dumbledore. "He took your blood and rebuilt his living body with it! Your blood in his veins, Harry, Lily's protection inside both of you! He tethered you to life while he lives!"

a"I live… while he lives? But I thought it was the other way round! I thought we both had to die? Or is it the same thing?"

"You were the seventh Horcrux, Harry, the Horcrux he never meant to make. He had rendered his soul so unstable that it broke apart when he committed those acts of unspeakable evil, the murder of your parents, the attempted killing of a child. But what escaped him from that room was even less than he knew. He left more than his body behind. He left part of himself latched to you, the would-be victim who had survived.

"And his knowledge remained woefully incomplete, Harry! That which Voldemort does not value, he takes no trouble to comprehend. Of house-elves and children's tales, of love, loyalty, and innocence, Voldemort knows and understands nothing. Nothing! That they all have a power beyond his own, a power beyond the reach of any magic, is a truth he has never grasped.

"He took your blood believing it would strengthen him. He took into his body a tiny part of the enchantment your mother laid upon you when she died for you. His body keeps her sacrifice alive, and while that enchantment survives, so do you and so does Voldemort's one last hope for himself." Dumbledore smiled at Harry, and Harry stared at him.

"And you knew this? You knew all along?"

"I guessed. But my guesses have usually been right," said Dumbledore happily.

"There's more," said Harry. "There's more to it. Why did my wand break the wand he borrowed?"

"As to that, I can't be sure."

"Have a guess then," Harry said attempting to understand, and Dumbledore laughed.

"What you must understand, Harry, is that you and Lord Voldemort have journeyed together into realms of magic hither to unknown and untested. But here is what I think happened, and it is unprecedented, and no wandmaker could, I think, ever have predicted it or explained it to Voldemort.

"Without meaning to, as you know, Lord Voldemort doubled the bond between you and he when he returned to a human form. A part of his soul was still attached to yours, and, thinking to strengthen himself, he took part of your mother's sacrifice into himself. If he could have understood the precise and terrible power of that sacrifice, he would not, perhaps, dared to touch your blood… But then, if he had been able to understand, he could not be Lord Voldemort, and might never have murdered at all.

"Having ensured this two-fold connection, having wrapped your destinies together more securely than ever two wizards were joined in history, Voldemort proceeded to attack you with a wand that shared a core with yours. And now something very strange happened, as we know. The cores reacted in a way that Lord Voldemort, who never knew that your wand was twin of his, had never expected.

"He was more afraid than you were that night, Harry. You had accepted, even embraced, the possibility of death, something Lord Voldemort has never been able to do. Your courage won, your wand overpowered his. And in doing so, something happened between those wands, something that echoed the relationship between their masters.

"I believe that your wand imbibed some of the power and qualities of Voldemort's wand that night, which is to say that it contained a little of Voldemort himself. So your wand recognized him when he pursued you, recognized a man who was both kin and enemy, and it regurgitated some of his own magic against him, magic much more powerful than anything Lucius's wand had ever performed. Your wand now contained the power of your enormous courage and of Voldemort's own deadly skill: what chance did that poor stick of Lucius Malfoy's stand?"

"But if my wand was so powerful. How come Hermione was able to break it?" asked Harry.

"My dear boy, its remarkable effects were only directed at Voldemort, who had tampered so ill-advisedly with the deepest laws of magic. Only toward him was that wand abnormally powerful. Otherwise, it was a wand like any other… though a good one, I am sure," Dumbledore finished kindly.

Harry sat in thought for a long time. Everything he had been told made sense, but Harry was still struggling with it. "He killed me with your wand."

"He failed to kill you with my wand," Dumbledore corrected Harry. "I think we can agree that you are not dead – though I'm sure you suffered severely."

"I feel great at the moment, though," said Harry, looking down at his clean, unblemished hands. "Where are we, exactly?"

"Well, I was going to ask you that," said Dumbledore, looking around. "Where would you say that we are?"

Until Dumbledore had asked, Harry had not known. Now, however, he found that he had an answer ready to give. "It looks," he said slowly, "like King's Cross station. Except a lot cleaner and empty, and there are no trains as far as I can see."

"King's Cross station!" Dumbledore was chuckling immoderately. "Good gracious, really?"

"Well, where do you think we are?" asked Harry, a little defensively.

"My dear boy, I have no idea. This is, as they say, your party."

* * *

Extreme pain seethed through Severus, causing him to cry out. This felt worse than anything he had experienced at the hand of the Dark Lord. 'So this is hell,' he thought bitterly, grimacing at the pain. He noticed the bustling sounds that were growing louder all around. Muffled voices had him confused, until he heard his name.

"Severus! Severus! You need to wake up and take this potion. You lost a lot of blood; we need to replenish what you lost."

'Was that Poppy?' he thought, struggling to open his eyes. He felt the cool edge of a vial part his dry lips, the cold liquid flow down his throat. How he just wanted to sleep, give into the exhaustion that surrounded him, but too many thoughts filled his mind. 'How did I survive? Nagini bit me, I had almost bled out. I was supposed to die.'

As if Poppy had read his mind she began to speak. "Miss Granger watched as you were bitten, watched you give your memories to the young Mister Potter. She fled to find help and lucky the venom had been neutralized or you would have already been dead. Rest now; you are safe."

Severus was angry; angry that he had not been left for dead. Instead he was now forced to live with the guilt of his many mistakes. All of the people he had had a part in killing haunting his memories. He had chosen death, given everything wholly to letting himself go. Now he was forced to walk among the living. Would he be expected to resume his post at Hogwarts or would he be forced into hiding, atonement for everything he's done? His thoughts and frustrations worked as a lullaby and ushered the old, tired soul of the man to sleep.

* * *

Dumbledore had continued to explain what happened and that the child was the dying form of the piece of Voldemort's soul. They sat silently, Harry processing everything the Headmaster told him. He finally understood the full story, felt slightly manipulated, but still he had the upmost respect for the man. The realization of what would happen next settled gradually over Harry in the long minutes, like softly falling snow.

"I've got to go back, haven't I?"

"That is up to you."

"I've got a choice?"

"Oh yes," Dumbledore smiled at him. "We are in King's Cross, you say? I think that if you decided not to go back, you would be able to… let's say… board a train."

"And where would it take me?"

"On," said Dumbledore simply.

Silence again.

"Voldemort's got the Elder Wand."

"True. Voldemort has the Elder Wand."

"But you want me to go back?"

"I think," said Dumbledore, "that if you choose to return, there is a chance that he may be finished for good. I cannot promise it. But I know this, Harry, that you have less to fear from returning here than he does."

Harry glanced again at the raw-looking thing that trembling and choked in the shadow beneath the distant chair.

"Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love. By returning, you may ensure that fewer souls are maimed, fewer families are torn apart. If that seems to you a worthy goal, then we say good-bye for the present."

Harry nodded and sighed. Leaving this place would not be nearly as hard as walking into the forest had been, but it was warm and light and peaceful here, and he knew he was heading back to pain and the fear of more loss. He stood up, and Dumbledore did the same, and they looked for a long moment into each other's faces.

"Tell me one last thing," said Harry. "Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?"

Dumbledore beamed at him, and his voice sounded loud and strong in Harry's ears even though the bright mist was descending again, obscuring his figure.

"Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?"

He was lying face down on the ground again. The smell of the forest filled his nostrils. He could feel the cold hard ground beneath his cheek, and the hinge of his glasses, which had been knocked sideways by the fall, cutting into his temple. Every inch of him ached, and the place where the Killing Curse had hit him felt like the bruise of an iron-clad punch. He did not stir, but remained exactly where he had fallen, with his left arm bent out at an awkward angle and his mouth gaping.

He had expected to hear cheers of triumph and jubilation at his death, but instead hurried footsteps, whispers, and solicitous murmurs filled the air.

"My Lord… my Lord…"

It was Bellatrix's voice, and she spoke as if to a lover. Harry did not dare open his eyes, but allowed his other senses to explore his predicament. He knew that his wand was still stowed beneath his robes because he could feel it pressed between his chest and the ground. A slight crushing effect in the area of his stomach told him that the Invisibility Cloak was also there, stuffed out of sight.

"My Lord…"

"That will do," said Voldemort's voice.

Harry chanced a glance to see Voldemort standing up. He closed his eyes again to process what he had seen. Both of them had briefly fallen unconscious and both of them had now returned…

"My Lord, let me – "

"I do not require assistance," said Voldemort coldly, and though he could not see it, Harry pictured Bellatrix withdrawing a helpful hand. "The boy… is he dead?"

There was complete silence in the clearing. Nobody approached Harry, but he felt their concentrated gaze; it seemed to press him harder into the ground, and he was terrified a finger or an eyelid might twitch.

"You," said Voldemort, and there was a bang and a small shriek of pain. "Examine him. Tell me whether he is dead."

Harry did not know who had been sent to verify. He could only lie there, with his heart thumping traitorously, and wait to be examined, but at the same time, noting, small comfort though it was, that Voldemort was wary of approaching him, that Voldemort suspected that all had not gone to plan…

Hands, softer than he expected, began to check for signs of life. He knew that she could feel the steady pounding of life against his ribs.

"Is Draco alive? Is he in the castle?"

The whisper was barely audible; her lips were an inch from his ear, her head bent so low that her long hair shielded his face from the onlookers.

"Yes," he breathed back.

He felt the hand on his chest contract then it was gone. He held his breath, praying he could be quick enough.

"He is dead!" Narcissa Malfoy called to the watchers, causing the celebration to start and Harry to relax some.

"You see?" screeched Voldemort over the tumult. "Harry Potter is dead by my hand, and no man alive can threaten me now! Watch! Crucio!"

Harry had been expecting it, knowing that he must be subjected to humiliation to prove Voldemort's victory. He forced himself to remain limp as he was lifted into the air without pain. His glasses flew off and his wand slipped but he did not move.

"Now," said Voldemort, "we go to the castle, and show them what has become of their hero. Who shall drag the body? No – wait –"

There was a fresh outbreak of laughter, and after a few moments Harry felt the ground trembling beneath him.

"You carry him," Voldemort said. "He will be nice and visible in your arms, will he not? Pick up your little friend, Hagrid. And the glasses – put on the glasses – he must be recognizable – "

Someone slammed Harry's glasses onto his face with deliberate force, but enormous hands lifted him exceedingly gently. Harry could feel Hagrid's arms trembling with the force of his heaving sobs; great tears splashed down upon him as Hagrid cradled Harry in his arms, and Harry did not dare, by movement or word, to intimate to Hagrid that all was not, yet, lost.

"Move," said Voldemort, and Hagrid stumbled forward, forcing his way through the close-growing trees, back through the forest. Branches caught at Harry's hair and robes, but he lay quiescent, his mouth lolling open, his eyes shut, and in the darkness, while the Death Eaters crowed all around them, and while Hagrid sobbed blindly, nobody looked to see whether a pulse beat in the exposed neck of Harry Potter.

"Stop."

Harry thought Hagrid was forced to obey because he lurched a little. A chill settled over them where they stood, and Harry heard the rasping breath of the dementors that patrolled the outer trees. Someone passed close by Harry, and he knew it was Voldemort because moments later he began to speak, his voice magically louder.

"Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone.

"The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you, and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman, or child, will be slaughtered as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."

There was silence. Voldemort was so close that Harry did not dare open his eyes.

"Come," said Voldemort, and Harry heard him move ahead, and Hagrid was forced to follow. Harry opened his eyes a fraction, and saw Voldemort striding in front of them, wearing the great snake Nagini around his shoulders.

"Stop."

The Death Eaters came to a halt: Harry heard them spreading out in a line facing the open front doors of the school. He waited. Any moment, the people for whom he had tried to die would see him, lying apparently dead, in Hagrid's arms.

"NO!"

The scream was terrible because he had never expected or dreamed that Professor McGonagall could make such a sound. Bellatrix cackled.

"No!"

"No!"

"Harry! Harry!"

Ron's, Hermione's, and Ginny's voices were worse than McGonagall's; Harry forced himself to remain still.

A commotion began until Voldemort screamed, "Silence!" and forced it upon them. "It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs!"

Harry felt himself lowered onto the grass.

"You see?" said Voldemort, and Harry felt him striding backward and forward right beside the place where he lay. "Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"

"He beat you!" yelled Ron, and the charm broke, and the defenders of Hogwarts were shouting and screaming again until a second, more powerful bang extinguished their voices once more.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds," said Voldemort, and there was relish in his voice for the lie, "killed while trying to save himself-"

But Voldemort broke off: Harry heard a scuffle and a shout, then another bang, a flash of light, and a grunt of pain; he opened his eyes an infinitesimal amount. Someone had broken free of the crowd and charged at Voldemort.

"And who is this?" he said in his soft snake's hiss. "Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?"

Bellatrix gave a delighted laugh.

"It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord! The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?"

"Ah, yes, I remember," said Voldemort, looking down at Neville, who was struggling back to his feet, unarmed and unprotected, standing in the no-man's-land between the survivors and the Death Eaters. "But you are a pureblood, aren't you, my brave boy?" Voldemort asked Neville, who stood facing him, his empty hands clenched in fists.

"So what if I am?" said Neville loudly.

"You show spirit and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need you're kind, Neville Longbottom."

"I'll join you when hell freezes over," said Neville. "Dumbledore's Army!" he shouted, and there was an answering cheer that the spell couldn't suppress.

All of a sudden the Sorting Hat flew out of the shattered window of the school and headed straight into Voldemort's hand.

"There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School," said Voldemort. "There will be no more Houses. The emblem, shield, and colors of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone. Won't they, Neville Longbottom?"

He pointed his wand at Neville, who grew rigid and still, then forced the hat onto Neville's head, so that it slipped below his eyes. There were movements from the watching crowd in front of the castle, and as one, the Death Eaters raised their wands, holding the fighters of Hogwarts at bay.

"Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me," said Voldemort, and with a flick of his wand, he caused the Sorting Hat to burst into flames.

Screams split the dawn, and Neville was aflame, rooted to the spot, unable to move, and Harry could not bear it: He must act –

And then many things happened at the same moment.

An uproar came from the school as the fighters came running. Grawp came running from the forest, followed by the Centaurs. Harry pulled the Invisibility Cloak from inside his robes, swung it over himself and sprang to his feet, as Neville moved too.

In one swift, fluid motion, Neville broke free of the Body-Bind Curse upon him; the flaming hat fell off him and he drew from its depths something silver, with a glittering, rubied handle –

The slash of the silver blade could not be heard over the roar of the oncoming crowd or the sounds of the clashing giants or of the stampeding centaurs, and yet it seemed to draw every eye. With a single stroke Neville sliced off the great snake's head, which spun high into the air, gleaming in the light of the flooding from the entrance hall, and Voldemort's mouth was open in a scream of fury that nobody could hear, and the snake's body thudded to the ground at his feet –

Hidden beneath the Invisibility Cloak, Harry cast a Shield Charm between Neville and Voldemort before the latter could raise his wand. Then, over the screams and the roars and the thunderous stamps of the battling giants, Hagrid's yell came loudest of all.

"HARRY!" Hagrid shouted. "HARRY – WHERE'S HARRY?"

Chaos reigned. The battle continued as beast fought the Death Eaters and Voldemort himself. Harry was shooting jinxes and curses at any Death Eater he could see, and they crumpled, not knowing what or who had hit them, and their bodies were trampled by the retreating crowd.

Still hidden beneath the Invisibility Cloak, Harry was buffeted into the entrance hall: He was searching for Voldemort and saw him across the room, firing spells from his wand as he backed into the Great Hall, still screaming instructions to his followers as he sent curses flying left and right; Harry cast more Shield Charms, and Voldemort's would-be victims, Seamus Finnigan and Hannah Abbott, darted past him into the Great Hall, where they joined the fight already flourishing inside it.

Voldemort was in the center of the battle, and he was striking and smiting all within reach. Harry could not get a clear shot, but fought his way nearer, still invisible, and the Great Hall became more and more crowded as everyone who could walk forced their way inside.

Harry saw Yaxley slammed to the floor by George and Lee Jordan, saw Dolohov fall with a scream at Flitwick's hands, saw Walden McNair thrown across the room by Hagrid, hit the stone wall opposite, and slide unconscious to the ground. He saw Ron and Neville bringing down Fenrir Greyback, Aberfoth Stunning Rookwood, Arthur and Percy flooring Thicknesse, and Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy running through the crowd, not even attempting to fight, screaming for their son.

Voldemort was now dueling McGonagall, Slughorn, and Kinglsey all at once, and there was cold hatred in his face as they wove and ducked around him, unable to finish him –

Bellatrix was still fighting too, fifty yards away from Voldemort, and like her master she dueled three at once: Hermione, Ginny, and Luna, all battling their hardest, but Bellatrix was equal to them, and Harry's attention was diverted as a Killing Curse shot so close to Ginny that she missed death by an inch –

He changed course, running at Bellatrix rather than Voldemort, but before he had gone a few steps he was knocked sideways.

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!"

Mrs. Weasley threw off her cloak as she ran, freeing her arms. Bellatrix spun on the spot, roaring with laughter at the sight of her new challenger.

"OUT OF MY WAY!" shouted Mrs. Weasley to the three girls, and with a swipe of her wand she began to duel. Harry watched with Bellatrix Lestrange's smile faltered and became a snarl. Jets of light flew from both wands, the floor around the witches' feet became hot and cracked; both women were fighting to kill.

"No!" Mrs. Weasley cried as a few students ran forward, trying to come to her aid. "Get back! GET BACK! She is mine!"

Hundreds of people now lined the walls, watching the two fights, Voldemort and his three opponents, Bellatrix and Molly, and Harry stood, invisible, torn between both, wanting to attack and yet to protect, unable to be sure that he would not hit the innocent.

"What will happen to your children when I've killed you?" taunted Bellatrix, as mad as her master, capering as Molly's curses danced around her. "When Mummy's gone the same way as Freddie?"

"You – will – never – touch – our – children – again!" screamed Mrs. Weasley.

Bellatrix laughed, the same exhilarated laugh her cousin Sirius had given as he toppled backward through the veil, and suddenly Harry knew what was going to happen before it did.

Molly's curse soared beneath Bellatrix's outstretched arm and hit her squarely in the chest, directly over her heart. Bellatrix's gloating smile froze, her eyes seemed to bulge: For the tiniest space of time she knew what had happened, and then she toppled, and the watching crowd roared, and Voldemort screamed.

Harry felt as though he turned in slow motion; he saw McGonagall, Kingsley, and Slughorn blasted backward, flailing and writhing through the air, as Voldemort's fury at the fall of his last, best lieutenant exploded with the force of a bomb. Voldemort raised his wand and directed it at Molly Weasley.

"PROTEGO!" roared Harry, and the Shield Charm expanded in the middle of the Hall, and Voldemort stared around for the source as Harry pulled off the Invisibility Cloak at last.

The yell of shock, the cheers, the screams on every side of "Harry!" "HE'S ALIVE!" were stifled at once. The crowd was afraid, and silence fell abruptly and completely as Voldemort and Harry looked at each other, and began, at the same moment, to circle each other.

"I don't want anyone else to try to help," Harry said loudly, and in the total silence his voice carried like a trumpet. "It's got to be like this. It's got to be me."

Voldemort hissed.

"Potter doesn't mean that," he said, his red eyes wide. "That isn't how he works, is it? Who are you going to use as a shield today, Potter?"

"Nobody," said Harry simply. "There are no more Horcruxes. It's just you and me. Neither can live while the other survives, and one of us is about to leave for good…"

"One of us?" jeered Voldemort, and his whole body was taut and his red eyes stared, a snake that was about to strike. "You think it will be you, do you, the boy who has survived by accident, and because Dumbeldore was pulling the strings?"

"Accident, was it, when my mother died to save me?" asked Harry. They were still moving sideways, both of them, in that perfect circle, maintaining the same distance from each other, and for Harry no face existed but Voldemort's. "Accident, when I decided to fight in that graveyard? Accident, that I didn't defend myself tonight, and still survived, and returned to fight again?"

"ACCIDENTS!" screamed Voldemort, but still he did not strike, and the watching crowd was frozen as if Petrified, and of the hundreds in the Hall, nobody seemed to breathe but they two. "Accident and chance and the fact that you crouched and sniveled behind the skirts of greater men and women, and permitted me to kill them for you!"

"You won't be killing anyone else tonight," said Harry as they circled, and stared into each other's eyes, green into red. "You won't be able to kill any of them ever again. Don't you get it? I was ready to die to stop you from hurting these people –"

"But you did not!"

"- I meant to, and that's what did it. I've done what my mother did. They're protected from you. Haven't you noticed how none of the spells you put on them are binding? You can't torture them. You can't touch them. You don't learn from your mistakes, Riddle, do you?"

"YOU DARE –"

"Yes, I dare," said Harry. "I know things you don't know, Tom Riddle. I know lots of important things that you don't. Want to hear some, before you make another big mistake?"

Voldemort did not speak, but prowled in a circle, and Harry knew that he kept him temporarily mesmerized and at bay, held back by the faintest possibility that Harry might indeed know a final secret…

"Is it love again?" said Voldemort, his snake's face jeering. "Dumbledore's favorite solution, love, which he claimed conquered death, though love did not stop him from falling from the tower and breaking like an old waxwork? Love, which did not prevent me stamping out your Mudblood mother like a cockroach, Potter – and nobody seems to love you enough to run forward this time and take my curse. So what will stop you dying now when I strike?"

"Just one thing," said Harry, and still they circled each other, wrapped in each other, held apart by nothing but the last secret.

"If it is not love that will save you this time," said Voldemort, "you must believe that you have magic that I do not, or else a weapon more powerful than mine?"

"I believe both," said Harry, and he saw shock flit across the snakelike face, though it was instantly dispelled; Voldemort began to laugh, and the sound was more frightening than his screams; humorless and insane, it echoed around the silent Hall.

"You think you know more magic than I do?" he said. "Than I, than Lord Voldemort, who had performed magic that Dumbledore himself never dreamed of?"

"Oh, he dreamed of it," said Harry, "but he knew more than you, knew enough not to do what you've done."

"You mean he was weak!" screamed Voldemort. "Too weak to dare, too weak to take what might have been his, what will be mine!"

"No, he was cleverer than you," said Harry, "a better wizard, a better man."

"I brought about the death of Albus Dumbledore!"

"You thought you did, but you were wrong. Yes, Dumbledore's dead," said Harry calmly, "but you didn't have him killed. He chose his own manner of dying, chose it months before he died, arranged the whole thing with the man you thought was your servant."

* * *

Severus was standing at the entrance of the Great Hall, the commotion too great to miss. Voldemort was screaming, it echoed off the walls and through the cold hallways of the castle. Severus was in pain, but he had to see the end of the man he had pretended was his master. He watched the pair circle, watched the confused expression briefly cross the Dark Lord's face.

"What childish dream is this?" said Voldemort, but still he did not strike, his red eyes did not leave the boy's.

"Severus Snape wasn't yours," said Harry, causing Severus to cringe. "Snape was Dumbledore's, Dumbledore's from the moment you started hunting down my mother. And you never realized it, because of the thing you can't understand. You never saw Snape cast a Patronus, did you, Riddle?"

Voldemort did not answer and Snape knew it was because he hadn't. He had been extremely careful to not cast one around him for fear of being killed. They continued to circle and Severus could not advert his eyes. Any minute the snake would strike; he hoped that Potter would be prepared.

"Snape's Patronus was a doe," said Harry, "the same as my mother's, because he loved her for nearly all of his life, from the time when they were children. You should have realized," he said as he saw Voldemort, "he asked you to spare her life, didn't he?"

"He desired her, that was all," sneered Voldemort, "but when she had gone, he agreed that there were other women, and of purer blood, worthier of him –"

"Of course he told you that," said Harry, "but he was Dumbledore's spy from the moment you threatened her, and he's been working against you ever since! Dumbledore was already dying when Snape finished him!"

"It matters not!" shrieked Voldemort and Snape couldn't disagree more. In an odd way, that back and forth would have just cleared his name, if he truly did survive this.

"Dumbledore was trying to keep the Elder Wand from me! He intended that Snape should be the true master of the wand! But I got there ahead of you, little boy – I reached the wand before you could get your little hands on it. I understood the truth before you caught up. I killed Severus Snape three hours ago, and the Elder Wand, the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny is truly mine! Dumbledore's last plan went wrong, Harry Potter!"

"Yeah, it did," said Harry. "You're right. But before you try to kill me, I'd advise you to think about what you've done… Think, and try for some remorse, Riddle…"

Severus watched from the shadow as Voldemort grew angrier and angrier. "What is this?" the snake questioned.

"It's your one last chance," said Harry, "it's all you've got left… I've seen what you'll be otherwise… Be a man… try… Try for some remorse…"

"You dare -?" said Voldemort again. Severus could see a glint in Harry's eyes. He had something up his sleeve and the Hall knew it.

"Yes, I dare," said Harry, "because Dumbledore's last plan hasn't backfired on me at all. It's backfired on you, Riddle!"

Voldemort's hand was trembling on the Elder Wand, and Harry gripped Draco's very tightly. The moment when all would be decided was drawing close.

"The wand still isn't working properly for you because you murdered the wrong person. Severus Snape was never the true master of the Elder Wand. He never defeated Dumbledore."

"He killed –"

"Aren't you listening? Snape never beat Dumbledore! Dumbledore's death was planned between them! Dumbledore intended to die undefeated, the wand's last true master! If all had gone as planned, the wand's power would have died with him, because it had never been won from him!"

"But then, Potter, Dumbledore as good as gave me the wand!" Voldemort's voice shook with malicious pleasure. "I stole the wand from its master's tomb! I removed it against its last master's wishes! Its power is mine!"

"You still don't get it, Riddle, do you? Possessing the wand isn't enough! Holding it, using it, doesn't make it really yours. Didn't you listen to Ollivander? The wand chooses the wizard… The Elder Wand recognized a new master before Dumbledore died, someone who never even laid a hand on it. The new master removed the wand from Dumbledore against his will, never realizing exactly what he had done, or that the world's most dangerous wand has given him its allegiance…"

Voldemort's chest rose and fell rapidly, and the Great Hall knew what was coming.

"The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy."

Blank shock showed in Voldemort's face for a moment, but then was gone.

"But what does it matter?" he said softly. "Even if you are right, Potter, it makes no difference to you and me. You no longer have the phoenix wand: We duel on skill alone… and after I have killed you, I can attend to Draco Malfoy…"

"You're too late," said Harry. "You've missed your chance. I got there first. I overpowered Draco weeks ago. I took this wand from him."

Harry twitched the hawthorn wand, and every eye fell upon him, including the man's in the shadows.

"So it all comes down to this, doesn't it?" whispered Harry. "Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does… I am the true master of the Elder Wand."

A red-gold glow burst suddenly across the enchanted sky above them as an edge of dazzling sun appeared over the sill of the nearest window. If Severus did not move soon he would be discovered. The high pitched voice shriek as the boy too yelled his best hope to the heavens, pointing Draco's wand:

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

The bang was like a cannon blast, and the golden flames that erupted between them, at the dead center of the circle they had been treading, marked the point where the spells collided.

* * *

Harry saw Voldemort's green jet meet his own spell, saw the Elder Wand fly high, dark against the sunrise, spinning across the enchanted ceiling like the head of Nagini, spinning through the air toward the master it would not kill, who had come to take full possession of it at last. And Harry, with the unerring skill of the Seeker, caught the wand in his free hand as Voldemort fell backward, arms splayed, the slit pupils of the scarlet eyes rolling upward. Tom Riddle hit the floor with a mundane finality, his body feeble and shrunken, the white hands empty, the snakelike face vacant and unknowing. Voldemort was dead, killed by his own rebounding curse, and Harry stood with two wands in his hand, staring down at his enemy's shell.

* * *

Severus watched the three brave Gryffindors sneak out of the Great Hall while the celebration was just starting. He followed them up to the Headmaster's Office which he had occupied for the past year. Potter looked exhausted, but then again, he had just fought and beaten one of the most powerful wizards of all time. He pulled back the sleeve of his left arm, pleased that Mark that once held a place there had vanished, leaving a small scar in its stead. The scar was gone from Potter's forehead as well. Listening to the conversation that took place between the Golden Trio he let himself smile briefly as he heard Potter utter the words, "I've had enough trouble for a lifetime."

Turning on his heel, the man made his way back to the infirmary before his absence was noticed, a feeling of incredible exhaustion coming over him. The war was one and, though not his choice, he was still alive to see it.


	2. Welcome to the Real World

A/N: I will be posting one chapter a day until I catch up with myself. Again, I am not sure how much of this story will change. I know the main plot won't change, but some of the details may.

Chapter One: Welcome to the Real World

Harry Potter was exhausted. He supposed it was a combination of dying and coming back to battle one of the strongest wizards the world had ever seen. People were hovering over him, asking things of him that he either didn't want or couldn't talk about for he only understood the basics of what happened. In the course of one day he had discovered more about what the true meaning of love really was and there was only one person he wanted to talk to. Unfortunately, he was unconscious.

'At least he's alive,' thought the boy, looking out over the destroyed Hogwarts grounds from where he was perched in the Astronomy Tower. The last time he had been up here the great Albus Dumbledore had been 'murdered' by Professor Snape. Now that he fully understood what had happened, he realized that at that moment, Dumbledore was not pleading for life, but pleading for the man he had asked so much of already to finish him.

The war had cost each of them. Harry had seen the death of his parent's best mates – the Marauders were finished. His godson was without parents, Dumbledore and Fred had both been murdered; there were definite costs from the war. Professor Snape had been forced to live a double life, never allowed to let anyone get close to him for fear of revealing too much, or fear of opening himself to a weakness. 'The only good thing to come of this war is my knowledge of love. Without it, none of this would have been possible. It's interesting how this one battle revolved so much about having an understanding of what the power of love can do.'

The door creaked open, revealing an exhausted looking Ron and Hermione. He smiled wearily at his two best friends, the two people that had been with him since he was eleven years old. They were his first real friends and his first real family. And the weirdest thing was they had stuck by him through it all. Here they were once more, still standing behind him, supporting him through another one of his triumphs, bruised and bloody though they were.

"Hey," Ron said. He looked extremely happy even through the obvious tiredness. Hermione was slightly behind him, grinning from ear to ear.

"You did it, Harry!"

"We did it," the young man corrected her. "I couldn't have done it without you. You were there for me through it all. You helped me defeat him."

Hermione and Ron walked and sat down beside him, one on each side. Hermione wrapped her arms around him, trying to comfort him. He was grateful for their presence. Exhaustion was seeping through him, but he couldn't sleep, not mere hours after defeating Lord Voldemort, not when all the adrenaline still coursed through his veins.

"Mate, I know you don't really want to face this right now, but Kingsley is asking for you. He wants your help in deciding what to do to restore order in the Ministry. Everyone wants your opinion on something now," Ron stated, looking out over the grounds.

Harry nodded. "We've been through so much. It feels weird to just be sitting here, just the three of us. No one's threatening us, no one's taking house points, we're not in a near death situation – there's just peace."

Hermione rubbed his back. "It feels good, doesn't it? Knowing the war has finally been won!"

Harry nodded, taking a few more minutes to himself. "I suppose that this peace can't last. Should we go face the real world?" he grinned at his two best friends. They both nodded. The trio stood and headed toward the Great Hall, knowing that the peace they all felt now was too good to last.

* * *

Severus heard noises, voices quietly talking around him. He was tired, extremely tired, and he hurt. He tried to move, tried to sit up, but an immense pain shot through him. He groaned, his eyes fluttering open to bright lights that hurt his eyes. He again tried to sit up only to feel something warm drip down his neck.

"You're awake, I see, and have reopened your wound. You're going to have to be more careful," the voice of Poppy chided, and the trickle stopped. He was confused. He didn't remember how he had come to be in the hospital wing. The last thing he did remember was the Dark Lord preparing to attack…

'Shite,' he thought, having all the memories of the past day come flooding back. 'So Miss Granger saved the greasy bat of the dungeons instead of letting him finally have some peace. This is just wonderful. She better not expect gratitude. Fuck, and Potter had to spew my memories while he was dueling the fucking Dark Lord.'

"You need bed rest. Miss Granger and Miss Weasley will also be taking care of you. Both have offered to stay and help me with the number of people that we have here," Poppy said, helping him into a sitting position. "You have someone who wants to see you, if you are up for it. You can say no."

Severus was curious. It wasn't often that someone wanted to speak with him, with the exception of Minerva and Albus. "Who?" was all he could manage without getting some water.

"Mr. Potter," Poppy said waiting expectantly for an answer.

"Why?" he rasped.

The Mediwitch handed him a glass of water. He sipped, smart enough to not make himself sick by chugging. "I have no idea. You will have to talk to him to find out."

"Send him in then."

He watched as a timid Harry Potter came in, nothing like the man that had just dueled the Dark Lord a few hours prior. He looked weak and tired, as if he had not slept in several months. Blood caked his arms and his hands, but the scar was no longer visible on his bloodstained face. The innocence of this young man had been stripped of him; he was much more in sync with the ways of the world.

"I wanted to thank you," the man began, his voice quiet against the bustling Hospital Wing. "You sacrificed everything for me. You paved the way for us to succeed. You were the only thing that made sure we won in the end. Thank you." The young man sat down in the chair that had been placed beside the bed. Severus nodded, unsure of what exactly he was seeking.

"I also want to apologize for leaving you to die. I was so preoccupied with hunting down Voldemort," Severus cringed involuntarily, "that I just sorta ran off. After everything you've done for me, I shouldn't have run. I should have stayed and got you help."

"You had a mission to do. I was fully prepared to die there," Severus offered, unsure of why he was telling Harry bloody Potter this. He supposed it was the look that Potter was giving him, something that looked like true remorse.

"How are you feeling? And how did you survive?" Harry asked looking genuinely interested. Severus suppressed a chuckle.

"I'm tired, I ache all over and I can't move without help for fear of reopening my wound. I worked for months to create anti-venom to Nagini's bite, and managed to successfully prepare it last month. I was prepared for when He decided that I was no longer valuable and hoped that he would kill me with the beast. What I wasn't prepared for was how quickly I lost blood. Granger came back with help and I wound up here."

"So you didn't get to see the end to the man that you called master?" Harry questioned.

Severus sighed. "I was there. I snuck out of this blasted bed in just enough time to hear you profess all of my secrets to everyone who was in the Great Hall. I watched you defeat him with Expelliarmus. You are lucky that worked." He was becoming grumpy again, though he could no longer deny that his feelings for the man had changed. He no longer felt the hatred that had consumed him for the past seventeen years, realizing that the man standing in front of him was not his father, no matter how much he looked like him. That was the amazing thing; this creature that looked so much like his childhood enemy had his mother's soul inside.

"Oh," said Potter. "I'm sorry for that. I just figured he needed to know why he lost. I needed the Hall to know the importance of love, how powerful it really is."

Severus nodded. He had understood. It was needed to help everyone in the room understand what exactly was missing to make the Dark Lord so weak; to make them understand how a young man could kill one of the most powerful wizards of the time period. On top of that, the young man's testimony would go miles in keeping him from ending up in Azkaban.

"So," Potter said, pulling the man from his thoughts.

"Mr. Potter, you always were gifted with words," Severus said, sarcasm dripping off of every word. Potter blushed intensely and stared down at the floor.

He looked up. "Kingsley is Minister of Magic now. He's got a lot of work to do. The Aurors are already out attempting to round up the Death Eaters who ran. He asked if I would join them…"

"Let me guess, you complied and are leaving to go hunt the rest of the Death Eaters."

"No!" Harry nearly shouted before again blushing. He softened his voice before Poppy came to kick him out. "I turned them down. I have no desire to become an Auror. I thought I did, but I really don't. After fighting a Dark wizard for my entire life, I am done. I just want to begin to have a normal life," said Potter, shocking Severus.

"I see," he looked over to the three medi-witches, wondering what would become of the destroyed Hogwarts.

"They're going to use the summer to repair the damages. Professor McGonagall was appointed Headmistress and you are Deputy Headmaster, if you agree to the position. With your trial pending, Kingsley thought it would be best to keep you out of the spotlight. I was asked to come back and teach Defense next school year," Potter said as if reading the older man's thoughts.

Severus grumbled. "I suppose I don't have any other choice. There are not many choices for former Death Eaters."

"You could always open your own apothecary. Make potions for other people. Go into business for yourself if you hate teaching so much. I owe you and have enough funds if you need help getting started," Potter said, smirking. They both saw the youngest Weasley coming toward them. "I guess that's the sign that I need to leave you to rest. Just think about the offer. Thank you again, sir, for saving me time after time."

The young man stood and left and within a matter of moments, Severus was unconscious.

* * *

Harry couldn't help but to feel relieved as he left the hospital wing. The man that had risked everything to make sure that he succeeded had managed to make it through the final battle. The thing he didn't understand is how they just managed to have a civil conversation. True, he had just defeated Voldemort and true, the man was injured, but Harry had never thought that they would ever be able to see eye to eye on anything.

"Harry!" Ginny called, running toward him. He turned and smiled as the redhead leapt into his arms. "You did it, Harry!" she said as he held her.

He did it. The words were foreign, yet familiar. He smiled, letting go of the girl he thought he had loved and yet now, he simply looked at her like a sister.

"We can be together! It's all over!" he heard the words escape her mouth and he cringed.

"Gin, we need to talk," he said quietly. She froze, her hazel eyes glaring at him, never breaking contact with his emerald ones. She looked like she was about to hex him with the worst curse she could think of. "Ginny, this isn't about you. It's about me. I just don't have feelings for you like you want. You are like family to me; like my little sister. I'm best friends with your older brother. I'm sorry, Gin, but I'm not interested in dating anyone right now, least of all you." He stared at his feet, the guilt rising in his chest. Before he could even react she had slapped him across the cheek as hard as she possibly could and somewhere deep down he knew he probably deserved it.

"You are a bastard, Harry Potter! You lead me on for years only to leave me right after the final battle! Now that you finally have time to date, you won't! We were supposed to be together Harry James Potter! Now look at what is happening! You are pathetic!" she screamed at him continually hitting his arm, the tears beginning to pool in her eyes. Harry's guilt began to increase as she screamed at him.

Harry stood there, unable to move. He didn't think he had led her on; they had dated and he ended it. He went running through the woods in order to kill Voldemort, purposely leaving her out of it. Now, when she was within reach he didn't want her. Not only did he not want her, he doubted that he ever really had wanted her. During his life, he had always been expected to date the perfect girl, fall deeply in love, get married, and have a family of his own; a large family. Now that he had time to truly think about he wanted, he found that he wanted none of that. He wanted familiarity while still being secluded from the world that had sacrificed him to be slaughtered for the "greater good".

"Ginny, I never meant to hurt you. I've spent my entire life sacrificing myself for what the world wanted me to be. I understand that I was the chosen one, but now I just want to live normally while still secluded from the rest of the world," he said softly.

Ginny glared, obviously not done. "So I would be a sacrifice for you! You bastard!" And again she slapped him.

"There you are, mate!" Ron called, giving Harry an escape from the enraged, grief stricken redhead.

"Yeah."

"Mum told me to invite you to come to the Burrow for the next couple of days!" Ron stated, a huge grin plastered to his face. "She figured we all could use a bit of a rest and good food."

"Sure thing, Ron. That sounds wonderful! We all could use a rest," Harry said, staring at the now retreating form of Ginny. He supposed he probably shouldn't go to her family home after that.

Ron cleared his throat. "Anything you want to talk about? You know you can always come to either Hermione or me. Speaking of Hermione, how would feel about she and I dating? We value you as a friend more, so if you think that it's gonna interfere with the friendship, we won't date…"

"It's fine, Ron. I figured that this would happen. You two are meant to be together," Harry said, keeping his eyes focused on his best mate.

"Thank you so much, Harry! I mean, I think I love her so I'm excited to give this a try!" Ron sputtered, putting one arm around his tired friend. "Let's go home!"

The next several days flew by for Harry. Molly Weasley had fussed over him from the moment that he set foot in the Burrow. He had been given a week before the staff were expected to come back and help rebuild Hogwarts. Ron was leaving to join the Aurors; his training began the week after. Hermione had gotten her dream job of working with the Ministry and was aiding Kingsley in researching several new laws. This was it for the trio; there last week of truly being together.

"Harry?" a timid Hermione called, startling the man.

"What's up, Hermione?" he asked.

"You still look awful. Have you been getting any sleep?"

Harry smiled. "About as much as I normally get. I still have to sleep with silencing charms. You can never sleep properly when your magic is being used throughout the night or when you have nightmares about all of the people that have died for you."

"Have you thought about brewing yourself Dreamless Sleep Potions? Then you wouldn't have these dreams," Hermione offered, sitting on the bed next to her friend.

"It takes time and that's one thing that I haven't really had. You also know that Potions are not easy for me and I would be too afraid of poisoning myself. I guess I could buy it, but I wouldn't even know where to begin to look for that. There are no good apothecaries that I trust around here," he said matter-of-factly. In truth, there were only two people he trusted when it came to Potions, Hermione and Professor Snape.

Hermione nodded. "I came up for Mrs. Weasley. Lunch is on the table and she wants to make sure that you eating. We all are worried about you. You aren't acting like yourself."

"I guess I'm still tired. I'm not used to having nothing to do and I'm worried about the future. I'll be at Hogwarts while you and Ron will both be working at the Ministry. I'm scared that I'm going to lose you both and that we won't be able to spend time together. You two have been with me through everything. I'm scared to go off on my own."

"You will be fine, Harry. We are all entering unfamiliar water, but we are all strong people and will be fine. You know more about Defense than anyone else I know. You taught all of us in your fifth year. You already know how to teach. Now you just have to tailor those lessons into plans that are age appropriate. The only hard part for you will be marking the papers in a timely manner," Hermione laughed. "Now let's go get some food."

* * *

Severus was finally allowed to leave the Hospital Wing. After sleeping for the better part four days, his wound had healed enough to not open with every move he made and he was strong enough to look after himself. Many of the people who had been brought to the Hospital Wing had already been released. Miss Granger had gone with the boys to the Burrow, needing rest from her year traveling. Miss Weasley had stayed behind to help with those who were in no shape of being moved, Severus included.

"Looks like you will be leaving us here in the Hospital Wing," the woman said. Severus grimaced.

"It would appear to be that way."

She frowned, causing Severus to wonder if the Wizarding World now expected him to become some sort of changed person. His personality was his, and even though he no longer had to guard his every move, he still would. He had been raised to be this cautious; winning a war wouldn't change him.

"The Headmistress would like a word. She asked if I would send you there," Miss Weasley said and he nodded. Turning on his heel he headed for the office that had been his own for the past year, but wasn't sad to see leave his grasp.

"Come in," called the stern Scottish voice. He pushed open the door, feeling extremely tired but glad to be moving.

"You wished to see me," he drawled, his voice still raspy from his recovery.

"I was wondering if you had given any thought to my offer. If you so choose, you are more than welcome to stay on here as Potion's Master. Horace is begging me to crawl back into retirement and I have no one else. However, I will not force you to stay on. If you have other plans, feel free to explore those," Minerva said. She had aged immensely under the pressures of the job. The school was still being rebuilt by volunteer efforts; wards were being put back up. Could he deal with being in the place that had caused him so much pain?

Severus sat quietly, deep in his thoughts. He was being offered a substantial position, a position that would not disappear. It was a chance for him to continue to be around a subject which he loved and continually challenged him. It also meant being around students, the insufferable imbeciles who could not grasp the simple complexity that is Potion Making. Not to mention that Potter had given him another option to still be around Potions and yet working on his own schedule and away from the school. He was given a choice and he wasn't sure which would be the better option.

"Severus, if you decided to go into business for yourself, it will not be easy. You still have to clear your name and make people trust you. While you have Potter's support and trust, the rest of the Wizarding World is still weary. With my offer, people won't have a choice."

He glared. "You did not just suggest that I could not gain the trust of the general public? Did you miss the precious Potter's declaration? I'm sure the fucking press didn't! I doubt that I will even be tried for my part, even though I am the sole responsible for the death of the saint Albus Dumbledore!" he spat, turning toward the door. "I accept your offer. Let it be clear that I did not do it because I did not think that I could make it on my own. I accept because I know that I am a better teacher than Horace Slughorn. There were as many accidents last year as I had in my entire career.

"However, I will not be staying on to help rebuild this school. I have no desire to try and continue to heal while dealing with the volunteers and staff. I need a break and as such I will be at Spinner's End for the summer. I will return the week before school starts."

Severus swung open the door and headed for his rooms to pack and flee to Spinner's End for the remainder of his summer.

* * *

Harry stood in the Burrow looking at his two best friends, his packed trunk sat beside of him. The silence was thick; tears trickled down Hermione's face. "Well, I guess this is it," Harry said, unsure of what to do. Hermione ran to him and grasped him in a hug.

"Mione, it's not the last time we're gonna see him. He's not going across continents. We can Floo him anytime we want and he us. You and I are living here for a while. He knows where we are!" Ron said, putting his arm around his girlfriend. Harry couldn't help but smile. They did make the perfect couple.

"Ron's right, Mione. It will be weird not having you there to do the paper part of my stuff, but I can always come and see you when I need a good lecture in organization or the support of my friends," Harry laughed.

Hermione was still crying as she said, "What if we establish Saturday dinners? Just for the first year. We could each choose a week to pick a place in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley and just go."

"That sounds like a good plan to me," Harry said, grinning from ear to ear. "However, now I must go! I'm about to be late for my first day. Professor McGonagall wants me to spend today growing accustom to my rooms. After that I start rebuilding."

"After the battle, that place was in ruins. You have a lot of work ahead of you," Ron said. Harry nodded.

"I will see you guys on Saturday then. Just owl me with where you want to go. Hermione, as it was your idea, I think you should pick first," Harry said, taking a handful of Floo powder. "Hogwart's School, Headmaster's Office," he said loudly and vanished in the green smoke.


	3. Rebuilding Futures

A/N: Still just a revamp, but Hedwig has been written out and some word choices have been changed.

Chapter Two: Rebuilding Futures

Harry was smiling as he stepped out of the Floo and into the office of the expecting Headmistress. Few things had changed since his departure, but the desk was more organized than he had ever seen it. Behind it sat a tired looking woman in hunter green robes, her hair pulled into a tight bun. She was looking down at a paper on her desk; quill in hand, intensely working on whatever it was in front her, so much so that she had not even moved since his arrival.

"Mr. Potter," her voice startled the man, catching him by surprise, her thick Scottish accent a familiar sound. "Please take a seat. I will be with you in a moment."

He moved forward, taking a seat at the desk across from her. He sat patiently, remembering the many hours he had spent in this office going over memories to try and gain some perspective on Lord Voldemort. The Horcruxes had been revealed in this room. He had learned the final secret here, leading him to head into the Forest as a sheep for the slaughter. The same gadgets that had always been here were still around, whizzing and fizzing and clanging in the background. Fawke's old perch was also still there though nothing inhabited it these days.

"Welcome back, Mr. Potter," McGonagall stated, smiling as she finally looked up from the paper. "How has life been treating you?"

"Quite well, Professor. The Burrow proved a nice get away and a much needed break. How is the rebuilding coming?"

"Please, call me Minerva. I am no longer your Professor and am now your colleague," she stated, turning to look out the small window in the back of the office. "There is still much to be done, though I am glad to say that a good start has been made. We have a lot of volunteers outside of the staff, meaning the castle should be completed by the start of term." She turned her attention back to him, "I want to thank you for your willingness to come back and work. No one is forcing you to be here. If you need more time, I completely understand," she paused, giving the young man time to respond.

"Honestly, Pr - Minerva," the name felt awkward as he said it, "I would like to just get settled in and then begin to work. The Burrow is a great place to get away for a bit, but I am still trying to process everything right now and I could do with some solid work to take my mind off of it."

McGonagall nodded, understanding in her eyes. "I must impress upon you this is not a normal thing, Potter. You have not yet taken your NEWTs and are the youngest Professor ever to join us. I am sorry, but I cannot allow to you teach students without passing your NEWTs. Therefore, I will be scheduling them for this summer. I will also be monitoring your classes for the first month and then periodically. I think it would be wise if for the first few weeks we have a weekly meeting Friday evenings after your last class, say four o'clock, to go over how the week went and things I have witnessed that you can improve upon. I have the upmost confidence in you; however we do this for all of the inexperienced teachers.

"In the upcoming weeks I will be passing out the class schedules. Attached to yours it will have the date you are to sit your NEWTs. I would recommend that you use all of your down time to study, though I am sure that you will be just fine in your core subjects. I am also quite certain that if you were to ask the Professors here for their help you would be granted access to it.

"Unless you have any questions, I will show you to your room. Unfortunately the Defense Wing took a lot of damage during the war and the only rooms we have available are in the dungeons," she said standing and stretching, her robes sweeping down to the floor in an elegant manner.

Harry shook his head. He appreciated the fact that someone would be looking over his shoulder for a while. In his fifth year he had taught the Dumbledore's Army, but he had had Hermione doing all of the paperwork and research for him. The only thing he had been responsible for were the demonstrations and teaching manner.

She led him to the familiar dungeons, past the rooms he had once used for his Potions classes, past the Slytherin common room that he had snuck into under the effects of the Polyjuice Potion in his second year, to a deserted looking hallway that held two portraits in it; one of Salazar Slytherin and the other of Merlin. The Headmistress came to a halt in front of Merlin and offered him a slight smile.

"Good evening, Headmistress," the elder wizard stated elegantly, the words rolling out of his mouth as if they were butter.

"Good evening, Merlin. This is young Mr. Potter. He is to be the resident to the suite behind these walls. Potter, the current password is 'victory' but you can change it once inside to whatever you wish. You may also change the room around to suit your style. Should you find you need anything, my door is always open."

"Thank you, P-Minerva, for everything," Harry said lamely before turning to Merlin. "Victory." The portrait swung open and he disappeared inside, leaving the retreating form of McGonagall.

* * *

Severus Snape was sitting by the fire when an annoying pecking noise interrupted his afternoon reading. Standing slowly he moved toward the window, opening it with a huff, and let the Great Grey owl into his home. "What do you want?" he grunted at the owl. In response the bird took flight over to the arm of his chair, landing elegantly, a letter clearly visible in its beak.

'Who is writing to me?' he thought bitterly as he snatched the letter. Still the bird sat.

_Professor Snape,_

_I honestly am not sure why I find myself writing this, but I have had my first meeting with McGonagall and several things were brought to my attention that I am unaware of how to proceed with. I know I am the last person you want to be hearing from and as such I am sorry for bothering you. I know that while I was at school I never truly treated you well, and again, I apologize. I have no idea if you will even read this before chucking it into the fire, but I want you to know that I am sorry, for everything. I know that hearing this from me isn't going to make a difference, but my mother treated you poorly and obviously didn't value you as a friend would have. If she had she would have accepted your apology. I would have forgiven you._

_I suppose that I should get on with the reasons I am truly writing. I have to take my NEWTs before the summer is out and I would like to ask for your assistance. I know that I was never very good at the 'art' of potion making, but I feel that without some help I will have a hopeless attempt at whatever potion I will be expected to brew. I understand if you find yourself incapable of this. Hermione should be able to show me as well, but I wanted to ask you first, simply because it would give us a chance to start over or at least come to some civil understanding._

_I want to thank you, as well. You have risked so much for me and I never would have been able to bring down Voldemort without you. You were there, leading me every step of the way without me knowing it until the end. You played your part well and I hope that you find the peace and happiness you deserve. Kingsley informed me two days ago that you would not be going to trial – that my testimony in the final battle was more than enough to clear your name. Thank you._

_I hope that you are recovering well. I am not sure what your future plans are, but Phillia (I figured it might be time for a new owl) has been instructed to wait for a yes or no about the tutoring. Like I said, I completely understand if you just want to move on and never speak to me again. If you ever need anything though, I will do my best to repay everything you have done for me._

_Sincerely,_

_Harry _

Severus stared at the letter in shock. Not only had the young man apologized for his behavior and his mother's, he had gone on to thank him. 'So, you finally have grown up, Potter,' he thought, setting the letter down on the small coffee table. He was torn. Potter had come to him for help in a professional way indicating that he was no longer the fool of a boy that had made his life a living hell. On the other hand, Severus wanted nothing more than to stay in his home and read and brew to his heart's content. It was no secret that Miss Granger could easily prepare him for his NEWTs, having already sat hers a week prior. She had of course received top marks and had her face once again plastered in the Daily Prophet for it.

Grabbing a piece of parchment, the Potions Master scribbled one word in reply.

_Yes._

"Here," he said to Phillia, gently holding the bit of parchment out for her to take. She seemed pleased enough because as soon as it was in her grasp she took off out the still open window, heading back to the castle. Once the giant grey bird was out of sight, he sighed. Of course Potter knew that there wasn't a trial. He had been informed three days ago of the fact. It wasn't a shock though. In the final battle the brat had done his fair share of talking, explaining to the entire hall his past; his memories. The long haired man had truly expected to die then, and now living was becoming increasingly challenging because of it.

Freedom. He finally had freedom and for the first time in his life Severus was unsure of what to do. No longer was he trying to serve two masters, carefully walking the tight rope that was the difference between life and death. He was free, or at least as free as he would ever be. After years of being a double agent he would still be the same bitter, guarded man that he had always been, especially in the classroom. He had proven that fear worked far better in preventing accidents than being overly lenient and friendly with his pupils. Slughorn had also helped prove this when he took over two years prior, giving Severus the opportunity to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts and then when he was assigned Headmaster and trying to protect the students without giving his position up.

Slumping into the oversized chair he let a ragged sigh escape him, his thoughts drifting back to Potter. The boy had grown into a spitting image of his father and the man's arch rival from his schooling days, but there were distinct differences. He had his mother's vibrant green eyes and her kindness toward her friends, but the young man went even beyond that. He had an extreme softness about him, something that prevented him from being mean to even the most disgusting of people. Even in the final battle between the evilest wizard in modern day history, he tried to get Voldemort to see reason and try for remorse. Whatever inherent goodness Potter held, Severus could not help but be in awe and yet baffled by it.

Picking up the book he had so clumsily abandoned, a Muggle novel entitled The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, he settled himself down and began to read again.

* * *

Harry stopped abruptly, panting to catch his breath, sweat rolling down his body. He had gone for a run to clear his mind only to find that he was lacking in his physical shape. After having spent the better part of a year on the run and fighting in a massive battle mere months prior, the raven haired man expected himself to be in better physical condition. He stood up and sighed, taking in the vista of the castle from the edge of the lake. The entrance hall was visible, the damage massive to the front, the stone work caving in from the damage of the war. Harry assumed, as he began to walk toward the ruined entrance that the Great Hall would be in just as rough shape, having watched most of it get destroyed by stray and blocked spells. Hell, when he brought down Voldemort the entire castle had shook from the power of the two curses meeting, the failed killing curse combining with his disarming charm.

Making his way over the rubble, he slowly took in everything. Blood was still caked on the ground in many spots and the entire entrance was now a rock climbing challenge over the fallen stones from the battle. All of the bodies had been moved off site; most had either been buried or those few that had still been clinging to life were now in the ward at St. Mungo's. Moving further in to the Great Hall, he followed the bloody footprints, travelling in all directions. Harry could only assume that it was from everyone walking through the blood of those that had been attacked with Nagini or other various cutting hexes rather than just being finished off with the killing curse. He could see the spot where Molly finished Belatrix, the spot where Kingsley, Slughorn and McGonagall had battled, finally he came to the spot where he had dueled Voldemort, finishing him once and for all.

Collapsing to the floor, Harry let the sobs rack through him. He knew that he had held it in too long, had tried to bottle it all in and stay strong. Now, as sobs kept him pinned to the floor, he finally felt a much needed release of everything he had kept bottled up his entire life. The raven haired young man didn't even notice his owl swoop into the deserted room. The soft hoot startled him, interrupting the seemingly never ending flow of tears that were streaming down his face.

"Hey, girl," Harry said softly, gently stroking his new companion before removing the small piece of parchment from her beak. The tiny scrawl simply contained the word _Yes_, but he knew exactly who it was from. A smile crept upon his face, interrupting the flow of tears. He at least would hopefully manage to pass his Potions N.E.W.T.s now that he had an excellent tutor to refresh his memory.

Hermione had made the two boys continue to study while they were on the run hunting Horcruxes so Harry was not nearly as far behind as he would have been otherwise. However, he hadn't actually brewed a Potion in a year and he was sure that alone would make him rusty. The art of Potion making required excellent timing and without practice his basic timing was off. Not to mention the fact that he barely remembered the basic properties of the different ingredients. No, Professor Snape would have his work cut out for him, but at least Harry wasn't asking for Occlumency lessons, a particular skill that the Boy Who Lived had never really mastered. Though, now that he didn't have part of Voldemort inside his head, maybe even that would come easier.

Heading back to his rooms in the dungeons, Harry couldn't help but smile. He was already feeling good just being back in the place that had become so much like a home to him. Even in the castle's current state, it still felt like home to the young man. He hadn't realized just how much he had truly missed it while he was off battling demons last year. Well, it was more like an extended camping trip with people constantly out to kill him and his two best friends. They had become much closer throughout the year, living and learning side by side, twenty-four seven. They had escaped Snatchers multiple times, had been taken to Malfoy manor and tortured, rescued by Dobby's selfless sacrifice, robbed Gringotts, flew away on a dragon, found and destroyed all of the Horcruxes, and eventually brought down the Darkest Wizard of the age. 'Yes,' Harry thought, 'it definitely feels good to be home.'

Striding into his common room, which was now firmly colored with the Gryffindor red and gold, he took a seat in the overly large maroon arm chair that had quickly become his favorite in the short time he had known it. The room was also furnished with a pale gold couch that was big enough to fit himself and four of his friends comfortably, which would probably end up being much more seating than he would ever need and a fireplace that tied the sitting area together. In the corner next to two large bookshelves only housing the books needed for his lessons, sat an oak desk and matching chair, where he had placed his eagle-feather quill and ink wells in both black and red. A small kitchen area was attached, adorned with a small table, also in oak, and two chairs. This had made Harry rather happy as it meant that he could always whip himself up a snack or a meal without having to bother the house elves.

The bedroom was furnished with a large queen bed with black silk sheets and a white comforter. It was much more formal than Harry was used to and as such made him feel that much older. The eight pillows on the bed were blacks, whites and greys, each complimenting each other and the bedding. The bedside table held a small clock and was made out of stained ebony that accented the color scheme of the room. On the opposite wall of the room was a dresser that matched the bedside table and in the corner sat a solid white arm chair next to a window that looked out into the lake, causing an eerie light to dance across the room. Behind it was a black floor lamp with two lights coming out from it, one looking down at the chair and the other pointed out upon the rest of the room. The room had a white carpet with grey and black lines swirling around on it. Harry found the entire furnishings to his liking and had gingerly placed his few possessions on top of the furniture in here.

The bathroom, however, was completely different from the rest of the suite. Decorated in sea foam green with brown and black accents tile the room was bright and yet not overbearing. The tub was on the far wall, a crisp white, which was easily as expansive as the tub in the Prefects bathroom. Next to the tub was a stand-alone shower, in the same tile as the rest of the room with a white floor. Both the shower and the tub had silver faucets and accessories. The toilet was next to the shower, again in the white with silver fixtures. A wall of tile separated the toilet from the double vanity, which was a tan brown marble counter-top with two sinks built in. The bath towels were a matching brown, bringing the accents of the tile out. The hand towels were the same white of the tub, completing the entire look. Another window was placed over the bath, letting in the same light from the water of the lake and Harry could not help but smile in approval.

Currently, Harry was still in the arm chair, contemplating the turn of events that this day had taken. His rooms were unpacked, though still in many ways felt surprisingly empty. For the first time in the castle he felt a pang of loneliness. Pointing his wand at the fireplace, a warm fire sprang to life, creating a red-yellow light dance across the room. He stood, taking a spot at the desk and grabbed a bit of parchment, realizing that he still had several things to sort out he began to write.

_Sir,_

_Thank you in advance for your help. Having spent the past year living out of a tent, I am sure I would fail miserably without it. I was wondering when you wanted to meet and where? If a set schedule outside of the castle would be better for you I will arrange myself accordingly with Minerva._

_Thank you again,_

_Harry_

"Phillia," he said gently, knowing that his companion was probably tired from her two trips already made tonight. The owl hooted in response in what the man assumed was an acceptance and came to rest on his arm. "I do apologize for sending you out again. I need you to take this back to Professor Snape and hang around until he sends a response back." He handed the letter for her to take in her beak and stroked her one last time before she took off, heading for the Potions Master once more. Harry decided that it had been a long, emotionally filled day and that it would do him some good to relax in his bath and then maybe turn in early for the night.

* * *

Severus was halfway through his third tumbler of Firewhiskey, about forty pages from the end of his book. As much as he loathed admitting it, he was a fan of fictional novels of every sort and had found himself intrigued with several of those from America. His list of books he still wanted to read before the summer months ended was growing day by day, but that was the normal. He would get through as many as possible before he returned to the school at the end of August to prepare for the arrival of the student body. He turned the page, taking a sip of his drink and continued when a tap at his window caused him to cuss. He marked his place, set his book haphazardly on the side table, and stood with his drink still in hand. He found the tapping noise coming from the same grey owl he had let in mere hours before.

Opening the window the owl flew in and perched on his arm, the letter extended toward him. The Potions Master took it gingerly, stroking the owl as he did so. She seemed to be beautiful, proud and loyal making the owl a good companion. He opened the letter quickly, skimming it over. He had been expecting this, intentionally leaving details out of his response in hopes that the boy would reconsider. After reading, it seemed that he would not be as lucky. Grabbing quill and ink he scrawled out his response in his tiny handwriting back.

_I will come to Hogwarts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 2 pm sharp. We will meet in Potions Lab 1. Do not be late or I will not return._

_S. S._

Giving the letter back to the bird he sent her on her way, closed the window and decided to return to his book and drink from the comfort of his bed, praying that tomorrow would be a less interrupted day.


	4. The Subtle Art of Potion Making

A/N: Incase you missed the memo, I am revamping this story. For the first few chapters, and honestly I don't know how many it will be, I won't be changing much. Occasional sentences here and there. I did write out Hedwig and the main plot will stay the same, but I wasn't thrilled where my writing was going. I am hoping to have the story edited within the next two weeks and will start working on new chapters then.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter Three: The Subtle Art of Potion Making

Tuesday flew by for Harry, a blur of repairs and studying filling his day. The castle was already starting to look better, back to its normal state of affairs. Not saying there wasn't a lot of work still to be done, but overall the main walls were no longer crumbling and you could enter the main doors without having to climb over the rubble. Minerva had also called him to her office to inform him that the first staff meeting would be Wednesday afternoon at one, right before he had his first lesson with Professor Snape. He was as nervous as he was excited by the time he had finished his meal and made the long trek back to his rooms in the dungeons. Again, he opted to grab a relaxing bath, swimming a couple laps in the overly large tub before turning the bubbles and jets on and settling himself in. Phillia had taken to spending her time either hunting or in the owlery with other owls that were around, leaving Harry to himself, not that he minded much.

After spending nearly an hour in the bath Harry took to the plush arm chair in the main room, the first year Defense book spread out across his lap. He was lost in his thoughts about what he could do for his first lesson with them when a sharp rap on his door startled him, causing him to jump and the book to land with a loud clunk on the floor. Cursing himself slightly he rose and answered the door to find an exhausted looking George, a small smile on his face.

"Hiya, Harry," he began, the tiredness seeping into his normally perky voice. "I heard that you had left the Burrow before I made it there and I just wanted to thank you for everything that you have done for me. You know that Fred and I would give you any of our products you would have ever wanted for free, but now I want to talk some things over with you."

Harry nodded and moved aside, allowing the red head entrance. He closed the door and motioned for George to take a seat. "I only have tea, I am afraid, but I can call a house elf if you would like something else," Harry offered, slowly moving toward his kitchenette.

"Tea would be fine," George said absentmindedly. Harry had never seen him like this, but it wasn't terribly surprising given the loss of the man's twin. So many had ended up gone, but Harry couldn't even begin to fathom what it would feel like to lose someone you shared everything with, including a birthday. After a couple minutes the younger man entered the room, carrying two cups of tea, a small cup of milk and a jar of sugar.

"What brings you here, George. You generally don't involve me in the business aspects unless something has come up or gone wrong. If you need more money I can write you a check to access my vault," Harry said, taking a seat once more into the arm chair, his Defense book still located on the floor at his feet.

George shook his head. "I don't need more money. What I need is some advice. Since Fred was killed I haven't been able to focus or come up with anything remotely good. I don't know what the problem is. We had so many good ideas for the future; new products we both wanted to test. Now, I just feel so lost. Maybe I should sell the shop. There are enough people who would willingly take over and would probably do a better job – I can't justify holding onto it anymore.

Harry sat in stunned silence, not sure of what to say. The joke shop had been their dream since at least his fourth year, probably much longer than that. Their products had not only helped him out in numerous tight spots, but had also helped people find a reason to smile during the war.

"Take a vacation. Travel. Spend time with your family. You lost your best friend, brother, and partner mere weeks ago. Of course you are upset! You have plenty of people to man the shop while you are gone. You can come back when you are prepared. I would just hate for you to sell the shop and then regret it later," Harry finished lamely. George looked down right disappointed and the Boy Who Lived couldn't tell if it was with him or in himself. After several moments of silence the redhead spoke, his voice not much above a whisper.

"Of course, Harry. You're right. This is what Fred," he winced slightly as he spoke the name, his voice cracking slightly, "and I have dreamed of. I just, I am so lost without him. Every time I step into the shop I feel an emptiness and sink further into my grief. Some time off would probably do me some good."

Harry nodded and smiled, eager that he had gotten through to him without too much effort. They quickly fell into an easy conversation, catching up in more detail than the pair had had time to in a while. Harry told him all about his time on the run, getting caught by the Snatchers, how Dobby helped the escape, the dragon, everything. George listened intently, filling in the background that Harry didn't know. Both were amiable, talking excitedly at some points, in depressed voices in others.

"What I don't understand is why Snape did it all. I mean, from what I heard you say during your duel with Voldemort, he had more of a reason to hate everything than most," George stated as he downed the remainder of his tea.

"It was love. He had more capacity to love than anyone else I have ever known. He was willing to sacrifice himself protecting me because of his love for my mother. Professor Snape asked Voldemort to spare her and when he didn't, he gave total allegiance to Dumbledore. I can't go into more detail again without delving deeper into the man's private life. All I know is that I owe him my life. Without his help I wouldn't be here," Harry said, a serious tone flooding his voice. His eyes were fixated on his cup of tea still half full.

George nodded then laughed as Harry barely managed to stifle a yawn. "Looks like I best be off. Don't want the Chosen One to nod off during work tomorrow. I need to catch up with the Headmistress anyways." George stood as did Harry to see him out.

"Anytime you need to talk or just want to get away you are more than welcome here. I must say I enjoy the company. And if you are still around on Saturday, feel free to join us for dinner. Ron, Hermione and I are all meeting somewhere and having a bite to eat," said Harry as the door swung open and George stepped out into the hall.

"Thank you, Harry, for everything. I promise I will keep in touch and let you know where I end up and if I am still around I may just join you." With that he turned and headed up the main corridor, leaving Harry to prepare for bed.

* * *

Severus awoke Wednesday morning around six, stiff and sore. This had become the norm for the man, awakening before the sun rose and going to bed long after it set. He would rise moments after awakening and put on a pot of tea. Then the man would get dressed in a pair of black athletic shorts, black Nike trainers, and a white v-neck t-shirt. After dressing he would enter the kitchen, finish preparing his tea, and head for the sitting room. Depending on when the Daily Prophet would arrive he would either read the paper or one of his books while he drank his tea. When finished he moved into his workout room for his half hour of cardio and half hour of weight training or core work. Today was beginning no differently.

The Potions Master groggily put on the tea and changed before coming to sit in his favorite chair. As he began to reach for The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test he noticed the owl swoop down with the paper attached. Severus paid the bird and it immediately took off, leaving the paper in the man's calloused hands. Opening the main wizarding paper he blanched at the headline: 'Ministry of Magic to Host Awards'. The accompanying picture was of the destroyed entrance of Hogwarts School with the Golden Trio walking up the main staircase, arms linked around each other. The photograph was a Muggle photo, which seemed to make things even more solemn.

'This is not something I want to fucking be forced into attending. I was expecting to be able to finally have some peace now that I can serve my bloody self. I should have been left to fucking die. Instead I now have become a public figure for the fucking Ministry!' he thought bitterly, throwing the paper into the fire and heading to go workout.

'Then again, you have yet to receive an invite. Maybe they will bloody leave you alone,' the small optimistic voice in his head responded. He snorted at this thought and began to jog on the treadmill that had once been his father's.

'They will never leave me the fuck alone. Even Harry bloody Potter doesn't know how to do that. He wasn't even at the school a damn day before sending me a request for help. Of course the Ministry is going to deem fit to name me a fucking hero, and for what. Fucking selling out the one person I truly cared about; condemning her to death. I have paid for my mistakes. I am done being a fucking pawn for anyone!'

Severus increased the pace, setting a hard pace to keep on a treadmill, something between a run and a sprint. He had become more and more accustomed to increasing the speed and pushing himself to go further, faster. After a half hour had passed he shut the machine off, feeling a bit better. Drenched in sweat he sat down at the weight bench, falling apart from old age that again had belonged to his father and worked his arm muscles with the old set of free weights and bars that had come with it. When he was completely to the point of exhaustion he set the weights down and wiped the sweat off his head with a towel.

Glancing at the clock on his way back to his room, towel slung over his shoulders, to shower and dress for the day told him that it was only nine. He had plenty of time to brew if he wanted to, but there were several things that he also needed to pick up from the apothecary in Hogsmeade so he decided he would shower and head there before the blasted staff meeting. He flung his towel into his dirty clothes basket and stripped off his shirt revealing pale skin, scarred from his years of torture at the hands of the Dark Lord. His muscles were tone and he had a six pack, though he continued to choose to hide his physically fit structure under his black teaching robes. He had begun to work out as a way to stay alive and relieve stress, not for the looks, though he was loathe admitting that he was pleased with the results.

He began the shower, preferring the feel of the hot water over his skin after a workout to magical methods, and looked at himself in the mirror over his double sink. The scars from the snake bite were still prominent on his neck, an angry red color. He had been told that it was unlikely they would fade, though that did not concern him. It was not like he had been an attractive man before the attack. He knew that most of the children referred to him as the bat of the dungeons. Severus shook his head, clearing his mind again before stepping into the shower to begin preparing for his trek to the school.

* * *

Harry awoke late on Wednesday, realizing that he had just enough to grab a shower before he was supposed to be in the staff room for his first meeting of the year. He had no idea what to expect and attempted to clear his mind from the anxiety he was beginning to feel. It was true that he did manage to teach Dumbledore's Army in his fifth year, and had successfully gotten five members of the class to produce corporeal Patronuses and many more to produce the non-corporeal counterpart, but he had had Hermione's help in the planning. All he really was in charge of was deciding what they should work on next and demonstrating the different techniques. Now he was going to be surrounded by other teachers, all of whom would be monitoring his work, some even hoping for him to fail. Not to mention he also still had to take his N.E.W.T.s, which he needed to ask the other Professors for review courses. And then, he had to account for the students, most of which he at least knew in passing, many of the seventh years he was still friends with.

Stepping out of the warm water feeling worse than when he started, he quickly dressed himself in a pair of dark wash jeans and a white button up shirt, his new black teaching robes the finishing touch. He still needed to go to Hogsmeade soon to buy more than the one set of robes he had now. 'I suppose I can do that tomorrow,' he thought as he gave himself one last look over before exiting his rooms, only to run into the likes of Severus Snape.

"Professor," he acknowledged pleasantly, attempting to make himself sound a bit more confident than he felt.

"Potter," the man said smoothly back. Harry couldn't help but smile. Even though the war was over, the man had not lost his personality, which was to be expected. After years of having to guard himself from letting anything slip, it was no wonder that the man was still as unsocial as ever.

"Sir, I was hoping we could talk today," the raven haired young man began, faltering slightly under his phrase of choice. Of course they would have to talk; they were scheduled to go over Potions right after the staff meeting.

Snape scowled. "Of course we will talk, Potter," he bit out, turning on his heel to head back up the staircase in the direction of the staff room. "I doubt that you would be able to manage a Potion without instruction." And then, Harry saw something that he had never expected; Severus Snape let a sly smile slip. As soon as Harry caught a glimpse of it the older wizard recovered and it was replaced with his usual scowl.

Harry blushed before speaking again. "I know that, sir, but I was meaning about other things. I feel that we both have been holding onto grudges that we would be better off just dropping. I know that you are coming back to teach this year," Harry said boldly, meeting the man's eyes, "and it may be best to be civil toward each other," he finished lamely. He didn't move, waiting on held breath for the man's response.

"Potter," Snape began, his voice softer than Harry had ever heard it.

"Harry," he said firmly. "Please, call me Harry. I am not my father."

Snape stopped dead in his tracks and looked at the younger man. He nodded, still scowling at the boy. "Harry," he amended. "I actually agree with you. Civility would be best given our current situation. Perhaps we can talk before I assign you a potion to brew."

Harry nodded and took off walking again, ending up at the staff room a couple steps ahead of the Potions Master. He opened the door just in time to watch the older man glide through and take a seat beside McGonagall, as her right hand man. Harry took a seat to the back and willed his nerves to settle.

* * *

Severus sat through the meeting, bored out of his skull. Not much was different from every other meeting the staff had. What can and cannot be used as forms of discipline, how to plan lessons, etc. The only new aspect was informing the staff who had chosen to leave for the summer of the progress of the rebuild. The entrance was close to completion, but the Great Hall still needed work. Blood was still caked on the ground and several of the tables that had been used as a triage center. It was the one room that had yet to be touched. A couple of the towers also needed a lot of repairs to them, but everything was manageable with the volunteers on site. There was no chance that the school would not open to the students on September first.

The meeting ended with the next scheduled for a month's time and he rose, stretching his now stiff muscles in the process. It wasn't often that he willingly sat in the hard chairs of the staff room during the meetings; most of the time he chose to stand. He glanced up at Po-Harry and noted that he looked more nervous than he had before the meeting. 'Do I still scare him that badly?' he thought to himself as he moved toward the younger man.

Severus watched the boy make his way toward him, staying silent and staring at the floor. This was not the same man who defeated the Dark Lord mere weeks ago. He seemed timid, unsure of himself. Nothing like the mischievous boy that had roamed the halls, defied Death multiple times, and ultimately faced down his former Master and won. They made eye contact and Harry began to make his way toward the door so they could make their way to the dungeons to begin the lesson. Neither man spoke as they exited the room, nor on the way down to Lab 1. This was the lab that Severus used for his own personal brewing. It was in this very lab that he had created the anti-venom that saved his life. This was the only lab that he kept stocked during the summer months and only used it when his own private lab was not big enough.

There were two tables in the room, each parallel to the other, and Harry chose the table closest to the door, which was not a surprise to the older man. He could feel the nervousness pouring off the boy as he moved past him. "Before we begin, perhaps we should clear the air. I know that you have viewed my memories. The fact that you spewed to them for everyone to hear as you battled Voldemort ensured that. Therefore, you already know why I worked so hard to keep you safe. What else could possibly want to know?" he asked, watching the boy's face blanch.

"Sir, I want to know why you hate me," he paused, looking as though he was going to flee any second. "You have seen more of my background than most due to the Occlumency lessons. You know that I am not my parents so why do you still hate me?"

Severus was taken aback. As many dealings as he had had with the young man, this was not the question he was expecting. He stared at the Boy-Who-Lived and scowled, though it lacked its usual menace. "Potter, Harry, I don't hate you," he finally spoke, though his voice was barely above a whisper. The young man froze in shock.

"You don't?" he asked, looking more confused than any potions lesson had ever made him.

"No. I don't. I haven't hated you since your sixth year when I realized that you were nothing like your father. It is true that I am still not a fan of the memories I have of the Marauders, but most of them had the chance to grow up and while I wouldn't say that I was friendly to any of them in their later years, I had become civil, at least with Remus. I am not sure I would ever have become civil with Black. You have your mother's inherit goodness and yet, you are beyond even what she was. You are better than she was, than she could be. We were all young and each one of us made mistakes. Most of mine I wish I could take back, but life does not work that way.

"I called your mother something awful, and for that I apologized repeatedly. If she had been as good of a friend as I thought she was she would have forgiven me and moved past it. Unfortunately, she let the pressures of her housemates get to her and saw my moment of weakness the perfect excuse to cut me off. You know this story already. Maybe if things had been different, if the timing was different, we would have remained friends, but we would never have worked together and I realized that around the time I was twenty. I still loved her, and a large part of me always will," he stated, watching the young man nod.

"I spent most of my adult life serving two different masters. Don't be fooled, Albus was just as manipulative as the Dark Lord. He was willing to sacrifice any one that wasn't valuable. Hell, he was even willing to sacrifice you in the end. You don't know how pissed I was about that. I figured that my life was forfeit when I became a spy. Eventually I would slip up and the Dark Lord would discover my true allegiance; I would be killed after being tortured for any information. Most of the time I was overlooked unless I had information deemed important. I had to bargain in order to gain anything from that man, and as such, I became used as a pawn and guardian of you. I hated every minute of it up until the start of your sixth year. I had to pretend to still hate you after that. It would not have done well for me if Draco reported to his father that I was treating you or your two friends any differently."

Potter smiled. "Sir, I understand most things, but I still have two questions – how did you know it wouldn't work with my mother and why didn't you try and repair things after you graduated?"

* * *

Harry froze as the obsidian eyes of his former professor glared daggers into him. The questions were ones that had been on his mind since he saw the memories and had just come out. Snape looked as though he was about to yell at him to get out and never return, and they had been making real progress. Finally, Snape spoke, his voice dangerously low and Harry could tell that he was making a real effort to control his temper.

"Those are personal questions, Potter, and I am not going to answer either" he snarled, his eyes never leaving Harry's emerald green ones. "I trust that you know by now that I was and still am responsible for brewing all of the potions used in the Hospital Wing. Today I will test just how much you remember by having you brew the Pepper-Up Potion. You will find the instructions in the book next to you and all of the ingredients in the cabinets in the back of the room. Start now and do not speak unless spoken to."

Harry worked in silence, chopping and stirring, crushing and measuring. Sweat was rolling down his face by the time he was supposed to leave the potion to simmer. Looking up he noticed that Snape was busy hovering over a cauldron, gently separating Knotgrass and adding it slowly to the bubbling mixture. He was so busy in that Harry decided it would be best to just let him work. Pulling out a slip of parchment, he scribbled a note stating that he appreciated his time and that he would see him again Friday at two before slipping out to his own room to continue preparing for his classes.


	5. Saturday Dinner

A/N: Some small changes made to this, mostly in the form of word choices and phrases.

Chapter Four: Saturday Dinner

Thursday gave Harry the opportunity to begin developing a routine. He would wake at seven and dress in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and head to the kitchens for breakfast, joining the rest of the people working on the castle repairs. From there they would split in half, one group finishing the Entrance Hall and the other beginning the process to the Great Hall. It was sped along by help from the castle, but there were still many repairs that needed to be done. By the time lunch was ready Harry was drenched in sweat and exhausted. After lunch he would spend an hour with Minerva reviewing Transfiguration, easily mastering everything that she had him practice. When he was done there he would either go down to the Potions Lab to meet with Professor Snape or would seek out help from one of the other professors. The only subject that he did not spend any time reviewing was Defense Against the Dark Arts and that was because he could do most of the N.E.W.T. level defensive spells when he was in his third year. After spending six years battling and then finally destroying Voldemort, he figured he had the defensive end covered. His evenings were spent creating lesson plans; something the boy was beginning to hate.

Teaching had been simple when Hermione was dictating what the lessons were off his guidance, allotting times for everything he wished to cover. Now that he had to create them himself he was drowning. Trying to keep all the lessons straight for the different years was proving to be difficult. Then add on the fact that he had never had a consistent professor in the subject was making for an interesting task. How Harry would have loved to owl the only competent professor they had, Remus Lupin, but he was gone, killed in the final battle. Feeling overwhelmed, Harry would stand and head to his luxurious bath, bringing along one of his seven textbooks to read while in there. He would mull things over in the hot water, thinking about how drastically his life had changed from eleven to now. He never thought that at eighteen years of age he would be done with school and would begin teaching the next generation, let alone that he would be doing all of this in the magical world.

A brown barn owl that was unfamiliar to Harry swooped into the bathroom, interrupting the relaxing bath he was currently enjoying. He noticed a small letter attached to her beak and smiled. "Thank you," he said timidly, confused at who would be sending him post at this time of night. "Just leave it on the vanity and I will tend to it after I finish." The owl hooted in response, dropping the letter and taking off again, disappearing into the night. Finishing quickly he dried himself and grabbed the bit of parchment, the loopy print foreign to him. Opening the letter he couldn't help but smile.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_I am Andromeda Tonks, Nymphadora Tonks's mother and Remus Lupin's mother-in-law. I am contacting you in regards to Ted Remus Lupin. I am sure that you are aware that you were named Godfather to my Grandson. As such, I feel it only appropriate to attempt to establish a visitation schedule with you. I have heard rumors that you would be teaching at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this coming year. If this is the case, then I would be willing to transport the boy to you Friday night via the Floo Network and return for him Sunday evening._

_If this is unsuitable to you, I am sure that we can work something else out. If you would prefer to not have any contact, that can be arranged. I thank you for your timely response._

_Sincerely,_

_Andromeda Tonks_

Harry reread the letter several times before a smile spread across his face. He was going to get to see his godson! He was going to have a family for the first time! Harry threw on a pair of dark sweatpants and one of Dudley's old t-shirts, the shirt hanging off of Harry's small frame, and took a seat at his desk. Grabbing a blank piece of parchment, a feat in and of itself with the amount of parchment he had taken up planning lessons, he grabbed his quill, dipped it into the ink and began to scribble a response. His handwriting was showing his eagerness, almost becoming illegible in some places.

_Mrs. Tonks,_

_First I would like to say please call me Harry. I appreciate your consideration for me in trying to devise visitation times. I would be happy to have Ted on the weekends, though I will not be available until around 8:30pm on Friday nights. If that is too late I would be happy to come and get him Saturday mornings._

_I should also warn you that I know nothing about babies. Perhaps it would be best if I come and spend a Saturday at your house to get acquainted at caring for a child. If this is an inconvenience I sincerely apologize. Please just let me know what would work best for you. I would love to be a part of his life, but I don't want to do something wrong._

_Thank you,_

_Harry_

As Harry finished he noticed that Phillia had returned from her hunt, eager to take his letter to the appropriate place. She took off and Harry decided that he would attempt to get some more work done on his classwork while he awaited the response. About an hour later his large, grey companion returned with a short response.

_Harry,_

_I would be more than happy to have you over this Saturday to teach you how to take care of my grandchild. Please Floo to our home at 11am. Ted will just be getting up from his nap then and I can teach you how to change him, feed him and enlighten you to his schedule. It is an easy task; do not worry. I am sure that with a little instruction you will be fine._

_Sincerely,_

_Andromeda Tonks_

Harry smiled and scribbled back: _See you then. Thanks_, and sent Phillia off again, waving a hand to shut all the lights off on his way to his bedroom for bed.

* * *

Severus was seated in his arm chair deciding just what potion he wanted Potter to brew next. He had a fleeting suspicion that if he had the boy brew the Polyjuice Potion that he would get a close to perfect batch because he and his friends had brewed it in their second year, though he was sure Ms. Granger had done the majority of the work. Because of this, he decided the Boy-Who-Lived would brew it the next lesson, which just so happened to be tomorrow at two. Severus hoped there would be much less talking necessary this lesson. Settling down with a book he relaxed, falling asleep in the chair he was in.

When the man awoke, his neck was stiff and he was slumped over, almost falling out of the chair. Checking the time with the Tempus charm he frowned, realizing that it was only 12:38. Stretching his bones he glanced around the room. All of the lights were out but the fire was still going, the light dancing across the walls, creating moving shadows. The man stood feeling older than he was just from the stiffness and exhaustion. Moving slowly toward the kitchen for some water he heard several pops and cracks come from various body parts. 'Get used to it, old man,' he thought bitterly. 'You might be fit, but your years of torture have caught up with your bones.' He downed the glass of water, extinguished the fire and trotted upstairs to bed.

When Severus awoke again the sun was shining brightly through his bedroom window, streaming onto the bed, illuminating his face. He stretched, feeling much better than when he had woken in the chair. Glancing at the small alarm clock he noted that it was already 11:58. He would have to skip his workout for the day in order to be at the school in time to teach the Boy-Who-Lived-to-be-a-pain-in-the-arse. Striding into the bathroom he showered and dressed quickly before apparating to the Hog's Head Inn.

"Aberforth," he grunted to the man, taking a seat at the bar. The place had become more frequented since the end of the war and the food had gotten better. However, it was still less crowded than the Three Broomsticks.

"What can I get you, Snape?" he questioned gruffly. Aberforth had forgiven him after it became known that his brother had demanded it, but that didn't make him a friendly man.

"English muffin and a coffee," Severus replied, opening the paper he had managed to grab before leaving. The headlines were about the trials that were still taking place. Scheduled for the day were apparently Yaxley and McNair. He continued scanning the schedules posted. Most of those captured were the newly joined members that he had had little contact with. However, two higher profile cases caught his eye; both scheduled for two weeks' time. Closing the paper he sighed. The Potions Master was viewed as a traitor by these people, but he made a mental note to go. As soon as his food and coffee arrived he put the paper aside and ate quickly before making the trek to the castle.

* * *

Harry was sitting in the kitchens eating a turkey and ham sandwich, regaining some of his strength. He was still covered in sweat from the repairs, but the Great Hall was almost finished and it was expected that they would start taking meals there in the next week. He glanced at his watch, realizing that he still needed to discuss several things with the Headmistress before his lesson with Snape. Making his way to the gargoyle, muttering the fallen Headmaster's name for entrance, he knocked on the door to the study, praying that the Headmistress was not too busy to see him.

"Come in," the thick Scottish accent called and Harry could make out the scratching of a quill. He opened the heavy door and stepped inside, taking a seat to wait for her to acknowledge him.

"What brings you to my office, Harry?" Minerva asked, briefly looking up from the pile of paperwork.

"I was wondering the protocol for leaving the castle on weekends. Hermione, Ron and I planned to have dinner every Saturday night and I was owled by Andromeda Tonks about keeping Teddy on the weekends. Tomorrow I learn how to take care of him," he stated, feeling like he was back as a student. She nodded.

"Andromeda informed me after you had agreed. I see no reason for you not to spend time with your Godson, as long as you are available for our eight o'clock meetings on Friday," the Headmistress stated, a smile crossing her face. "As for dinner with your friends, I would recommend you move them to six on Friday due to having the young Mr. Lupin, but I see no problems. Once the term starts you will have one weekend on duty every month, shared with another Professor. Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley are more than welcome to come and dine here on those weekends.

"I have another thing to discuss with you while you are here. I have heard from the Ministry and your exams are scheduled for three weeks' time. They begin Monday at nine and end Thursday at four. You have been meeting with your Professors and from what I've heard and seen you will do just fine."

A small blush rose to his face and he nodded, standing from the chair. "Thank you, ma'am. I need to go meet with Professor Snape." She nodded and watched the young man leave the office, returning to her paperwork.

Harry made it to the dungeon with seconds to spare. He bolted into the lab, the door shutting behind him. Snape scowled, but didn't say anything, instead pointing to the blackboard at the front of the room. The younger man gulped as he read what he would be brewing. 'Polyjuice Potion. Oh God, he knows we stole the ingredients in second year,' Harry thought. As quickly as the panic began to arise he put up his Occlumency shields and calmed himself.

'There is no way he could know. This is just a N.E.W.T. level potion. You are being ridiculous.'

* * *

Severus sat at the other table, watching the boy work. He seemed to have become more focused and as such, a better brewer. In the two hours it took for the boy to complete the base, the Potions Master could find little to correct. He was just about to dismiss Potter when the boy spoke up, surprising him.

"Sir, I want to apologize for my questions last week. You are right. They were extremely personal and I know that you are a private man. I just, I don't know a lot about them, my parents I mean, and I was trying to get some insight," he jerked toward the potion and continued to speak. "It needs to brew and won't be ready to add more for another couple weeks. I take my exams in three so it won't be necessary for you to continue past that, but I would like to finish it. I know that it takes a month to brew. If you don't want me to I will understand. I have already inconvenienced you enough."

"Po-Harry, you have matured a lot. I know that you and your friends successfully brewed this in your second year. Draco informed me of how strange Crabbe and Goyle had been acting that night. If I could prove it was you I would have had you expelled then. The fact that you just managed to brew a near perfect base without having to stare at the board confirmed it. However, if you want to finish it you are more than welcome to," he paused, not knowing how to continue. "I am sure that you will do fine on your N.E.W.T.s."

Before he could continue talking two matching screech owls flew into the lab and Severus recognized them at once. One stopped in front of him, the other in front of Potter, which confused him more than the one he got. "Be careful when you open it. Those birds are not known to be friendly, nor are their owners."

Potter nodded and moved carefully to the envelope, scanning it for curses quickly with his wand then opened it, immediately scanning to the signature line, revealing that it was from the youngest Malfoy. "Sir, why is Draco writing me?" the boy questioned, looking up with a confused expression on his face.

"I have an idea, though I am not a Seer. Perhaps you should read the letter," he responded, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He opened his own, noting that his was also from the boy, his Godson.

_Godfather,_

_I am sure by this point in time you have noticed that my trial date is set and is in two weeks' time. I am writing to request your help. I have also sent a letter to Potter, hoping that he will agree to help. I know that you know that I did not have a choice in the matter. The Dark Lord was threatening to kill my family, my mother, if I did not cooperate with him. I couldn't even fulfill the tasks he assigned me. I made mistakes, but I have turned a new leaf._

_Please, help me._

_Sincerely,_

_D. Malfoy_

Severus scowled and looked up to Harry. "Well, I am assuming that you know the reason he wrote you." The boy nodded and Severus took a seat, letting the silence fill the room.

"I feel like I should represent him. He never killed anyone and was only doing what he had to save his family. I know that we have never been friends – hell, we haven't even really seen eye to eye, but I can't hold him responsible for a deranged killer holding his family hostage."

Severus was stunned. Once again Harry was surprising him. He would have figured that after everything the pair had been through during school, he would want nothing to do with his godson. He looked up as the boy, no man, continued to speak. "I mean, I don't expect he has changed completely, but he should have the chance to live life without a psychopath killer."

Severus nodded. "You surprise me. I will see you next Monday." Harry stood, nodded and left, leaving a bewildered Potions Master lost in thought.

* * *

Harry had a fit full night's sleep and awoke with a start at seven on Saturday morning. The weather was nice and he decided to take a run around the lake before he showered and made his way to the Tonks' residence. To say that he was nervous was an understatement. He had never spent much time around children and if he was honest, he had never imagined having to take care of one, even for the weekend, this soon. However, he knew what it was like having to grow up without your parents or godfather and he vowed that he would not be the same way with his own. Eleven o'clock found him standing in an unfamiliar house staring at a small child that looked like a mix of his mother and father.

By two that afternoon Harry had effectively been taught how to change a diaper, feed Teddy, how to hold and play with him and how to put him down for a nap. He was nervous, but much more eager for his first weekend with the boy. Teddy was curious and was already changing his appearance at will, presently going back and forth with his hair style between the pale blue color of his favorite stuffed animal and Harry's unruly hair. According to his grandmother he also hardly cried, which Harry was noting to be a definite plus. Before Harry left, they agreed that starting the following weekend he would get Teddy just before bed on Friday, around 8:45pm, and would return him just before dinner, around 5pm, on Sunday.

Upon his return to Hogwarts, Harry opted for a quick shower to prepare for his evening out. He had heard from Hermione and Ron and they had all agreed that for the first dinner out they would go to the Hog's Head. Aberforth had become friendlier with the trio after the final battle, though he was still an odd man who preferred spending time with his animals to people. Harry decided that he would try out several of his new outfits, pulling on a pair of darkwash jeans and a red dress shirt with a black t-shirt on underneath. His hair he magically dried and brushed the knots out of, but let it go its own way, as he always did. He finished the look with a sports coat unbuttoned and his black dress shoes that he had bought to go under his teaching robes that he still needed to get. Looking in the mirror before grabbing his wand and tucking it into the holster on his right arm, he smiled. The scar was gone and he looked more grown up than ever before.

Grabbing his travelling cloak he exited his rooms and made his way toward the entrance hall. The halls were deserted, leaving him time to think. He was so enwrapped within his own thoughts that he barely noticed that he had made it to the Hog's Head fifteen minutes early. He stepped inside, taking a seat at one of the tables toward the back of the room, awaiting the arrival of his friends. The bar room had maybe twenty people tops in it, though most were talking animatedly with one other so the noise level was high. Harry smiled as Aberforth came trudging over to him.

"Potter," he acknowledged, tilting his head slightly. "I 'spect your two cohorts will be 'ere soon." Harry smiled and nodded. "What can I get ya?"

"I will have a Butterbeer while I wait then we will discuss food," the young man said with a smile. If it hadn't been for Aberforth Dumbledore he would have been killed on several different occasions throughout the war. Hermione and Ron both walked in at that moment, holding hands. They had always been dealing with sexual tension and feuds started over the different people the other one was seeing and in Harry's opinion it was about time that the two got together.

"Harry," Ron said, pulling out the chair for Hermione, causing a blush to creep on her face. Ron had changed since he had returned to the tent; had grown up from his childish ways. He had been a vital part of the final battle, thinking enough to go back down into the Chamber and retrieve the Basilisk fangs.

"How are you? How are the repairs going? Have you taken your N.E.W.T.s yet? Oh, it's good to see you! I've missed you!" Hermione began, her normal questioning tactics working in overdrive to make up for the week they had spent apart. And it was fitting. After spending every day of the last year together, this was the longest they had been separated.

Ron sighed. "Slow down, 'Mione. Give the man a chance to breathe."

Harry laughed. "Things are going well. I am really enjoying myself at Hogwarts and the repairs are coming along nicely. The Entrance Hall is finished and the Great Hall will be done in the coming week. We need to still finish the towers, but everything will be done in time for the term to start. I take my N.E.W.T.s in three weeks. I have been getting extra help from the Professors in preparation, including Professor Snape."

"Snape?" Ron asked in disbelief. "I figured he would want nothing to do with any of us."

"Yes, Snape. We have even become civil. I mean, he's still as prickly as ever and we still get on each other's nerves, but his insults aren't as harsh and we can sit in the same room without having to hate each other. It's been interesting. He's even told me some things about my family, though he mainly just has me brew and then leave.

"I also have been asked to watch Teddy every weekend. I spent all afternoon over at Andromeda's in order to learn how to care for him. I never expected that it would be as easy as it was. I actually found it quite enjoyable."

They continued to make small chat, filling him in on what was going on at the Burrow. Molly had taken Fred's death hard and was rearranging the entire house, fixing up and repairing the place. She was even adding some more rooms to accommodate guests, should Harry ever want to move back in. George had left, deciding that visiting Charlie in Romania would be perfect to clear his mind.

The subject changed to Hermione and Ron. Hermione had talked Kingsley into letting her mail in her work so she could attend University to study wizarding law. Kinglsey immediately had agreed, liking the idea that she would have additional training on the subject. Ron had finished the training to become an Auror, but ultimately turned it down, choosing instead to start work at the Joke Shop. His older brother was excited to have him join the business. They both were still living at the Burrow, though they were looking at getting their own place soon. Hermione was also researching how to reverse the Obliviate she had used on her parents so she could go to Australia and restore their memories.

Harry wished her luck and told them about his talks with McGonagall and that once every month they would have to do dinner at the castle. Ron was all for this. It was no secret that he loved the food there. Hermione understood. They also agreed that with Harry getting Teddy for the weekends that moving dinner to Fridays would be for the best. As they were all finishing up the Boy-Who-Lived remembered the owl he had received from Draco and hurriedly filled in his best friends.

"I can't believe the ferret wants your help," Ron said. "It's not like he wasn't involved. He tried to kill us multiple times."

"Actually, he didn't," Hermione corrected, gently taking Ron's hand. "He was noncommittal when we were brought to the Manor and he tried to get Bellatrix to stop torturing me. He helped us get away. In the Room of Hidden Things he even tried to stop Crabbe and Goyle." Ron scowled.

Harry nodded in agreement. "His mother saved me," he said quietly, looking at his empty plate of food. "After Voldemort 'killed' me in the forest, he sent Narcissa over to see if I was really gone. She asked me if Draco was still alive and then told Voldemort I was dead. I wouldn't have survived if it weren't for her."

"Does that mean you are testifying?" the redhead asked.

"Yes, but I don't expect either of you to."

"We can testify as well, Harry. You don't have to do it all alone. I thought you had gotten past this," Hermione stated, shaking her head. It was true. He had been trying to get them to stay away from the danger that he was continually in. Every year since they met the two had always been with him; all the way to the very end.

"I would appreciate it," the dark haired man said, grabbing the bill for the trio. They all exited the Inn onto the dark deserted street and said quick goodbyes. Harry watched the pair apparate away before he began the walk back to the castle. By the time he got to his rooms he was worn out and quickly stripped down, deciding to skip his nightly bath. He was asleep by the time his head hit the pillow.


	6. Trials and Newts

A/N: Last chapter for the night. Will continue editing tomorrow and hopefully will start work on a new chapter.

Chapter Five: Trials and N.E.W.T.s

The next week flew by for Harry. His Professors were all suggesting extra study material. All of his free time was spent in the library. The only person that he even felt normal around was Professor Snape, and that was because the man was still treating him as such. They were talking more, Snape telling him some information about his parents, mainly focusing on his father. They had been a lot like Draco and himself: started off as enemies and then grew into full blown hate, the difference was Harry didn't hate Draco. Harry of course already knew about the moment that Severus had lost his mother as a friend, but the young man still firmly believed that if they all had gotten together later in life that they would have been able to look past their differences and all apologize. He occasionally would ask questions, though the specifics were seldom given. A couple times, Snape had even come and joined him in the library, both reading their respective things, keeping each other a silent company.

All of the Professors had also realized that starting on Friday there would be a very young child in the castle and many had gone out of their way to offer the young man help. Snape had done the opposite, insisting that if the young man needed help that he should not owl him and seek help elsewhere. Harry had laughed and gone back to brewing. With his Potions lesson three times a week the pair had managed to knock out many of the hospital needs. They were becoming easier for Harry and were giving him time to think, though Harry wasn't sure that that was a good thing.

Even though Voldemort was gone, his memories were still there and were causing him nightmares; fears of what could have happened. Most nights he woke up thinking that all the Weasleys and Hermione had been killed, even Snape. Other nights those that truly had died haunted him, blaming him for their untimely deaths. He had thought that his dreams were bad before but these were awful. They came every night without fail and it was starting to show. He was moving slower, his face paler, and his eyes had become sunken. He dragged himself everywhere and always was drained when he attempted to do magic. Every time he was left to his thoughts the vivid images of the nightmares were wrapped in his mind. He felt as though he had no escape.

By the time Friday rolled around the boy was so drained that he barely managed to make it to the Potions Lab at two for his tri-weekly meeting with Snape. They had finished the majority of the hospital brewing; now they were just brewing the occasional needed potions, such as Skelegro. It would take two sessions for Harry to finish, but it would also mean that he could move on to other things; more advanced things. As he finished the counter clockwise stirring he was startled by the smooth deep voice behind him.

"Next session we will finish and deliver this. Wednesday you will brew Dreamless Sleep. If you are successful I will allow you to keep it," the master said, hovering close to the younger man's neck. Harry couldn't help but gasp at the closeness.

"Ye-yes, sir," he murmured, finishing to clear his work station. Snape moved back to his desk giving Harry confidence again. "Sir, I was wondering if you could tell me how you knew you wouldn't make it with my mother. You both seemed friendly for a long while and from what you've told me she despised my father for years," Harry stated, making sure to keep eye contact.

"I have already told you that is a very personal question, Potter," he began, his voice dangerously low. "You have already shouted my personal information to the entirety of the Great Hall. Why would I trust you with more information?"

Harry blushed but still refused to break eye contact, his Occlumency shield as firmly in place as he could manage.

"Get out, Potter, before you make more of a fool of yourself," he said, but Harry didn't move.

* * *

Severus glared at the boy. "I said get out!"

Potter didn't move. Instead he continued to stare defiantly, causing the older man's temper to rise. Before he could yell at the brat, he spoke.

"I saved you from Azkaban! People don't want you dead anymore! You also don't have to risk your own hide as a spy! I didn't think that you had survived and I thought that you would prefer to die with your name clear! I'm fucking sorry!" he screamed, leaving Severus shocked in his seat.

"You never bothered to get to know me before you began to insult and ridicule me in your class! Never once tried to differentiate between my father, the arsehole, and me! I never did that to you! I looked at you with respect! When I started to hate you it was because you always treated me like shit! You still are! I'm not some child in your class anymore! I'm fucking done, Snape! If you won't trust me that's fucking fine, but I have spent far too much time letting you insult me!" He stood and grabbed his things, making sure to slam the door on the way out. Severus let out a deep sigh.

The boy wasn't wrong. From the moment Harry Potter had set foot in the castle, Severus had noticed how much he looked like his father and how those emerald green eyes haunted him. He was a weak man, trying to distance himself from the boy, tell himself that he really didn't care, that it was all on Dumbledore's orders. And that worked for a while. Finding him roaming the castle in his first year, disobeying orders made it easy for the man. The boy had a knack for rule breaking and he used that to his advantage, insulting the boy when he was in the wrong. The boy also had some catching up to do. Coming from a Muggle home where anything magical was forbidden had stunted the boy. He hadn't even been able to glance at any of his books before the first lesson and Severus had used that as an opportunity to try and humble the famous Harry Potter, even though there was nothing to humble.

Second year was worse. With everyone getting petrified left and right and Lockhart running around driving everyone insane he had taken out his frustrations on Potter. While trying to protect him he also made sure that he was rough on the boy, making fun of him in class and making sure that he had several detentions. Everyone was assuming that the brat was the heir of Slytherin, but the only thing that Severus saw was a famous brat that didn't care for school rules.

Third year had made him hate the boy even more. He had been so close to catching the still accused Black and sending him back to Azkaban for the Dementor's kiss only to have that boy ruin it. He still wasn't exactly sure how but somehow Potter and Granger had gotten him out of that tower. Dumbledore had informed him shortly after of Black's innocence, a fact proven when he had gone to the Dark Lord's side an hour late in the fourth year. Pettigrew was standing there, tall and proud and clearly not dead.

Fourth year was everything the previous three years weren't; Harry hadn't actively sought out trouble but was often thrown into it. Severus had learned that Potter was not what he had thought him, though the hate was still there. In fact, he was much more like Lily than the Potions Master had ever thought. He was thrown into a challenge and had survived, only to come face to face with the Dark Lord himself. It was a miracle that the boy had made it out alive, let alone with Diggory's body. Then to be dragged from the field by Barty Crouch Jr. could have easily meant death for the boy. However, with Black still in the picture and the boy defended the dogs every breath, he couldn't let go of all the hatred.

Trying to teach the boy Occlumency in his fifth year was a disaster. The hate for each other was so apparent it made the lessons nearly useless. The boy was never going to relax enough to completely turn off all defenses except those in his mind and Severus did everything in his power to make sure he was always on edge. When the boy had looked into his personal pensieve, all of the hatred returned. Once Black died and Harry returned to the school was when Severus noticed the complete change and couldn't bring himself to truly the hate the boy anymore.

Standing up the man stretched, deciding that he did owe his colleague an apology. The truth was he just wasn't comfortable with the knowledge. It was a complex question, one that haunted the man for years. He had first known when they had been sorted into different houses, though his young mind wouldn't admit it then. They saw less and less of each other. If she had been a true friend it wouldn't have mattered, but she found excuses to spend time with her housemates and away from him. Then in his fifth year, after he made that horrible mistake, she never spoke to him again, no matter how many times he tried to apologize for it. In his seventh year he knew that it was more complicated than just that though. Maybe it was time to have a talk with the brat.

His steps led him to the portrait of Merlin guarding the man's rooms and 'knocked', only to have the brat answer. He had assumed that the boy would still me mad and not want anything to do with him. "What do you want? Come to yell at me some more? Tell me how wrong I was?" the man asked, anger still evident in his voice. Severus fought to keep his composure.

"Nothing of the sort. I came to offer an apology for my behavior and to see if we could talk," he said. Potter stepped aside to allow him entrance, pointing to the couch.

"I only have tea but if you would prefer something else I can call an elf."

"Tea is fine." The older man took in the rooms, noticing how much lighter they were than his own. He felt uncomfortable though the couch was soft and the room felt much warmer. He supposed this came with the color scheme being something other than green, silver and black.

"What did you want to talk about?" Harry questioned, returning with a tray full of tea and sugar and even a small pitcher of milk. "I will need to call an elf if you want honey." It was remarkable to Severus that the young man could go from anger to niceties in mere minutes.

"I came," Severus began, taking his own glass and adding sugar to it, "to answer your question. It is not an easy subject for me and if I find that you are spreading it around to your friends I will be the cause of great pain you have only dreamed of." The brat nodded and Severus continued.

"This is a hard topic to explain. Your mother was my first real friend growing up and we spent many days together, just sitting under a tree talking. When we got to school things changed. She didn't like my housemates or friends and I couldn't stand your father and Black. We began spending less time together, at least while at Hogwarts. During the summer we were still each other's sanctuary, both wanting to escape our families.

"We continued on like that for years, drifting further apart during the school year only to become close again during the summer months. That all changed when I messed up in my fifth year and lost my temper. I tried to apologize for months, but she wouldn't listen. That was when I knew. I still love Lily and a part of me always will, but anyone I was meant to be with would have forgiven me my mistake."

Potter was hanging on to every word, absorbing as much information as he possibly could. "Professor, I know that it doesn't mean much coming from me, but I am sorry for what my parents did to you. You didn't deserve it."

Severus could hardly speak. "It means a lot."

* * *

The next week flew by for Harry, a blur of final preparations for his N.E.W.T.s. Friday found him located in the main courtroom where he had been tried years before. A shiver went through him as he entered, making his way to Hermione, Ron, and to his surprise Snape. All three were testifying alongside him to attempt to keep Draco out of Azkaban. He couldn't be classified as innocent, but he didn't deserve the fate of wizard prison. As Draco entered the room everyone stood and several in the crowd began to boo and hiss. Minister of Magic Kinglsey Shacklebolt silenced them all, beginning the trial with a few elegant words.

The first thing that occurred was the viewing of Draco's memories. That began the process of clearing the boy of his charges. Draco was asked a few questions of clarification, but overall it was an uneventful event and accurate depiction of his participation in the war. Harry was called to the stand next, taking it with more confidence than he had the first time he had been in this position. This would at least be a fair trial.

"Mr. Potter," Kingsley began, "please inform the court what you heard on the night Albus Dumbledore was killed."

"I was cursed by Dumbledore so I couldn't move and hidden by my invisibility cloak when Draco entered the tower. He admitted that he was tasked with the killing of Dumbledore by Voldemort and that he had been trying all year, hurting several students with his failed attempts. He went on to state that he had let Death Eaters into the castle. He disarmed Dumbledore but couldn't kill him; didn't kill him."

Kinglsey nodded. "Please tell the court about your capture and stay at Malfoy Manor."

"We were caught by Snatchers for in my excitement over knowledge we had just gained I forgot the name was Taboo. Hermione Granger had enough sense to hit my face with a Stinging Hex before we were taken to the Manor. When we arrived we were greeted by Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy. They called for Draco to identify us, but Draco did everything in his power to avoid looking at us, let alone identify us. He didn't torture or kill any of us and he had ample opportunity."

Again Kingsley nodded. "Finally, could you please describe what happened between you and Draco during the final battle?"

Harry paused. This was a trickier one to sort out. "I returned to the castle in order to get the last thing we needed to kill Voldemort. Everyone knew that I was there and Draco, Crabbe and Goyle decided they would be the ones to catch me. Draco was attempting to get back in good graces with his father and as such, needed to get back in good graces with Voldemort. We were in the Room of Hidden Things when they caught up with us. Both Crabbe and Goyle were willing to kill us, but Malfoy continued to remind them that we were wanted alive. That was when Crabbe used Fiendfyre. Draco helped us get out and helped to save Goyle's life. It was unfortunate that we were unable to save Crabbe. Draco had no further part in the battle."

"That will be all Mr. Potter," Kingsley stated, moving so the man could step down from the stand. Hermione and Ron both went next respectively, telling similar accounts. Ron, of course, added in a bit about the rivalry between the two groups, but overall things looked in Draco's favor.

Snape was the last to testify and mostly focused on the familiar pressures the boy received from his father. He also talked about the upbringing the boy had received, being taught hate from an early age. It was all about social standings. As he stepped down from the stand the entire court was silent waiting for the judgment about to come.

"The court sentences Draco Malfoy to six months' probation. Any law's broken in that time and he will be sent straight to Azkaban for a year sentence. Court is adjourned." And with that, Kingsley banged the gavel, signaling for everyone to leave. Harry turned to Draco.

"Thank you for everything. I know that we never truly saw eye to eye, but I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you, at least partially. The three of us are about to go eat; you are more than welcome to join us." He turned to his former Professor and future colleague, "That offer goes for you as well."

Snape spoke first, giving Draco time to process it all. "I am otherwise obliged, though I thank you. Maybe some other time." He exited the courtroom, his robes billowing behind him.

"I, thank you, but I promised my mother I would help her move this evening. We found an apartment away from the Manor. It should be perfect for the two of us." Draco looked down at his feet before speaking again. "Thank you all for helping me. I know I have been a right prat in the past, but I hope that we can move past this all and maybe start over. I would like to truly get to know all of you and not the images that I perceived."

Ron glared, Harry looked stunned and in typical Hermione fashion she spoke first. "I think we all would like that." The trio left arm in arm, making their way to The Leaky Cauldron for Friday night dinner, discussing life and love, friendships and the past.

* * *

Severus watched the boy work in silence. This was his final N.E.W.T. test and the boy was adding the final ingredients to the Dreamless Sleep Draught. It already looked close to perfect and he expected the young man to receive full marks, though the official results would not be available for another week. Sweat rolled down the man's cheek and Severus found himself oddly drawn to it, wanting nothing more than to go and wipe his brow. Shaking himself slightly he scowled. 'Since when do I think such things, especially about soon to be former students?' he thought angrily.

'Since they have grown up to be a very attractive young man. You know you were drawn to his father's looks and he is the spitting image of him, though much more petite with gorgeous eyes. Besides, he is of age,' his mind chided back.

He shook his head, watching Harry finish the counter clockwise stirs. It seemed as though he was determined to prove that he wasn't as idiotic as Severus had always thought him to be. It was true that as much time as they were spending together the older man was finding Harry Potter, boy wonder, tolerable. He was not his father and he had especially proved that, time after time apologizing for his behavior. That alone was a difference between them. He was more pure than even his mother. Of course this would draw Severus to the young man. Severus, who spent all of his life being abused or manipulated, was falling for the man who showed him some form of comfort.

"Very good, Mr. Potter," he heard the Ministry official state, alerting Severus to the boy being apparently done. Severus nodded to the Ministry official as he took his leave, vial of the completed potion in his hand. Turning back to his soon to be official colleague he noted that everything was cleaned and put away.

"Come," he said, "I am sure you could use a Butterbeer or something stronger after that." Harry nodded, following the older man back to his private chamber.

"What would you prefer to drink?"

"I think I'll just stick to Butterbeer today, thanks. It's been a long week and I am exhausted. I wouldn't want to drink something stronger and fall asleep," the boy stated accepting the cold beverage from his hand and settling himself on the couch. "So, now that I have finished my exams you don't have to waste your time trying to teach me anymore."

Severus could have sworn that he had heard a touch of disappointment in Harry's voice. "I will still be here most days to continue preparing for the year. Now that you have finished your exams you could conceivably take a few weeks to spend at the Burrow or fixing up Grimmauld Place. I was informed that it had been left to you by the Mutt."

Harry shrugged. "Things aren't the same anymore. We have all grown up and are moving apart from each other. Ron and Hermione are together and I am happy for them, but they are one of the few who found happiness during the war and being around them just reminds me how many we lost. George is off healing, Ginny hates me, Molly continually fusses over me; I just don't want all of that. I don't want to cause anyone a hassle."

"As much as I doubt they would view you as a hassle, I do understand. However, such is life. The war is over. You no longer have a deranged killer obsessed with you. It does not do to hide yourself away behind these stone walls. I suggest taking this time to enjoy the newfound freedoms, especially with those you love and love you in return." He didn't want to ask what had happened between the boy and Ginny. While they were becoming closer, Severus still didn't consider them that close.

Harry looked down at his hands, obviously deep in thought. After a few minutes of silence the younger man spoke. "I suppose you are right. I wouldn't be able to leave until Monday and I would need to be here for the weekends. Number 12 is no place for a child and I would never see Teddy if we went to the Burrow."

Severus couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips. "I am sure that Molly would insist on taking care of the boy the entire time. She barely let Arthur take care of the kids when they were that age. He had to fight in order to even hold them." The brat nodded, obviously not surprised.

"What will you do when the school year begins?" Severus asked.

"In regards to Teddy?" the brat questioned, causing the Potions Master to nod in confirmation. "He will still visit during the weekends. I want him in my life, school or no school."

Severus smiled briefly. "That is a wise decision. Things get hectic; it is good to have something to counteract that."

* * *

Harry was shocked. He had never expected Snape to support him in anything, even with them being on civil terms. Hell, he supposed that they were closer now to friends than anything.

"What are you going to do about the older years? You have several friends returning for their final year. Are you prepared to deal with that?"

The question caught him off guard. He had only thought about it briefly, unsure of how to react to it. Ginny and Luna would be returning for their seventh year and they would be the hardest to deal with as they were so close. Luna was odd but far too nice to cause him too many problems other than being overly friendly, but Ginny was currently furious with him. It wasn't as though she was the quiet type either. She had the potential to turn his classroom into a circus. He ended his thoughts abruptly realizing that Snape was watching him intently. "Yes, but I am not sure how to go about solving the problem. Luna is far too kind to make too much of a fuss, but Ginny….well, she is much more like the twins and Ron than she is Percy."

"Might I make a suggestion?" the Potions Master asked, his eyebrow rising slightly.

"Of course. You've been doing this a lot longer than I."

Snape scowled but nodded. "Do not let them walk all over you. Be strict, never completely turn your back, and deduct points for misbehavior. Do not try and counteract favorites; simply be fair all the way around. If you must assign a detention to one whom you are familiar with you may assign it to me. I ask that you inform me at the time so that I may work out the arrangements with the student. I am sure that Minerva would also be willing to take detentions as well, though I suggest you speak about this with her."

Harry couldn't help but smile, hardly believing the words that Snape had just spoken. "Thank you! That all seems very reasonable," glancing down at his watch he jumped up. "Sorry, sir. I'm late for dinner! Perhaps we can do this again?"

Snape nodded and stood, escorting him to the door. The young man couldn't resist and flung himself into the lean arms of the Potions Master. Before either could say another word Harry fled, running all the way to the Three Broomsticks.


	7. Welcome Back

A/N: I changed the scenes with Teddy, not drastically but I made them much more realistic for a five month old. Also, if you want to see the color pallet for his nursery the colors are realistic paint colors from PPG Porter Paints.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter Six: Welcome Back

Severus found himself stalking the empty halls of Hogwarts awaiting the arrival of the students. September first had come far too quickly for the man. After Harry had finished his exams the older man had returned to his childhood home at Spinner's End and began the process of fixing it. He had added warm colors after thoroughly cleaning the space. The furniture had all been replaced with the exception of his arm chair which he refurbished. He wouldn't go as far to say it was perfect, but at the very least it was more welcoming.

He also found himself ahead on his obligated brewing for the school due to the help of Harry. When the brat had discovered that every Wednesday the Potions Master could be found in the lab at Hogwarts, he had continually stopped by offering his help. They had become closer, even getting to the point that Harry openly would tease him. He had even managed to talk him into eating dinner with Granger and Weasley. Those dinners had become a hodge podge of people, as Severus had discovered when he had entered the Hog's Head to find Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, George Weasley and Draco Malfoy as well as Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley.

"_Severus," Draco had greeted, motioning him over to the seat next to him. "Harry had been talking about getting you to come for weeks now. I never thought he would succeed."_

_Severus merely nodded. Had he of known who all would be here he probably wouldn't have come. None of these people, with the exception of Draco and Harry, gave a shite about him._

"_You look well, sir," Hermione greeted her hand firmly planted in Ron's. "I want to thank you for all your help during the war. We owe you our lives."_

"_Yeah, you aren't so bad for being the overgrown bat of the dungeons," Ron stated causing the group to laugh, Hermione to scold "Ronald," and Severus to scowl. Longbottom nodded to him, though the Potions Master could still see how nervous he made him. Lovegood was planted firmly at his side, her hand on his thigh as a gesture of comfort. Draco had fallen into a discussion with Hermione about Ministry happenings, Ron and George were chatting up Luna and Neville about the newest product and Harry was staring at him. The boy's lips mouthed a thank you that Severus acknowledged with a tilt of his head. That was when he knew the Boy Who Lived had become his friend._

As he snapped himself out of his memory he found his feet had carried him to the gargoyle which guarded the Headmistress's office. He sighed, knowing that he did need to speak with her before the students arrived about the Sorting and his newfound duties. Before he could get the password out of his mouth he spotted Harry trotting up the hallway Ted Lupin firmly held in his arms.

"Severus," the raven haired man greeted, readjusting the small child with currently matching hair in his arms. Ted was fast asleep, as to be expected for his age.

"Harry," he stated, barely glancing to the sleeping child.

"Are you going up?" asked Harry, turning to the gargoyle.

"Lochness," Severus said in answer, watching the guardian spring into life. Both men made their way to the top of the revealed stairs to the quiet breathing of the sleeping boy.

Without looking up from her paperwork Minerva spoke, addressing both men. "I wasn't expecting you until later, Severus, but I can squeeze you in now. Harry, thank you for coming. Teddy is growing quickly I see."

Harry nodded and Severus scowled. Teddy squirmed in Harry's arms, his eyes briefly opening for a moment before sleep took over again. Minerva continued. "I have asked you here because I made a mistake and overlooked a very large matter. I know that you will have a lot on your plate this year, but I was hoping you would agree to be the Head of Gryffindor. I am finding myself unable to attend to that duty and remain as the Headmistress. It would be unethical."

Severus's scowl deepened. That was a lot for any Professor, let alone one who was eighteen years old. Hell, he was still friendly with most of the seventh years in that house. As if the Headmistress had read his thoughts she continued speaking.

"The seventh years will report to me to avoid any conflict of interests. I also need to ask if you and Miss Weasley are still an item as she has signed up for Defense Against the Dark Arts."

* * *

Harry closed his eyes, dreading the question that had just been brought up. "We aren't," he answered quietly. He opened his eyes in time to see Minerva nod. "I would be willing to be the Head of Gryffindor, but I would like to keep my rooms in the dungeon. They are set up exactly to my liking and comfort and already have accommodations for Teddy. It seems the castle knew he would be staying and set up the perfect nursery for him."

Minerva nodded. "That is acceptable. Severus, while I have you, you will of course still be in charge of the Slytherins'. I also expect you to greet the new students in the entrance hall and speak to them before the Sorting about what is expected out of each of them. That includes why we sort them into houses. Do you understand?"

Harry smirked as he watched Severus nod, an annoyed look plastered on his face. It was clear that the older man was not new to the concept. The Sorting had been a time honored tradition and while Severus may not have been the one leading the first years in, he did know what was being told to them and how to do it himself. Harry did highly doubt that the Professor of Potions was going to be as kind as Minerva had been, though maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing.

"If that is all, Headmistress, I must take my leave. I have several more things to attend to before the dunderheads arrive," Severus drawled, glaring at the woman seated in front of them. Harry bit back his laughter, looking down to the now sleeping form of his godson. Standing gently he nodded to the Scottish woman.

"I will see you both tonight at the feast. Enjoy the rest of your day, both of you," Minerva stated and ushered them out of her office.

Once outside the gargoyle Harry nodded to the older man. "I will see you tonight, sir, unless you would like to come round for a spot of tea. I am not sure if you actually have some pressing matter or if you were trying to get out of the room. She has a knack for treating everyone as if they are still students, doesn't she?"

"Yes, she does. It is something I have come to terms with. She is at least friendly and less manipulative than Albus was, though she appears to be getting some guidance from him with the way that conversation just went. You should know, I have confidence in you to maintain professionalism in regards to Gryffindor House, however this is a lot to add to any professors plate. I have my reservations in regards to your appointment. If you find yourself in need of help, do not hesitate to ask.

"I truly do have some work to finish. I am only now stocking the student cupboard with ingredients for the first term. Maybe we can postpone the tea until after rounds tonight?" Severus asked a hint of playfulness in his eye.

"Of course! See you at the feast."

If someone had told Harry that after the war he would end up making friends with the cold potions professor who seemed to live to make his life a living hell, he would have laughed in their face and then submitted them to St. Mungo's. However, that was exactly what had happened. No longer was the man constantly berating everything that Harry seemed to do. He was critiquing and was still as sarcastic as ever, but it had lost its malice somewhere along the way. Now, they could openly drink tea together and be seen talking in the hallway without the slightest fear of hexing one another. A smile crept upon the young professor's face as he slowly walked to his rooms, muttering the password, "Severance", setting Teddy in his crib to finish his nap.

Harry took a moment to look around the nursery the castle had provided. He still wasn't exactly sure how it had known, but he was impressed with the outcome. The walls were based with green crystal with 9" stripes of sweetbriar. In one corner there was a black painted tree that stretched across the wall with the silhouette of an owl perched in the branch directly over the crib. The crib was ebony stained wood with changing table attachment. On the opposite wall there was the matching dresser and a closet, though both were mostly empty at the moment. He had made sure to buy a few outfits to keep on hand and a supply of diapers, but most traveled with the boy back and forth. In the far corner sat a black and white glider with a solid black pillow on it. Teddy had taken to the room at once, changing his hair to match the base color on the wall. He smiled and turned, taking a seat at his desk to finish his lesson plans.

At precisely five fifteen Harry found himself in the Great Hall awaiting the arrival of the students after returning Teddy to his grandmother. Sitting at the Head Table he felt slightly odd and out of place. On his right side was an empty chair where he assumed that Severus would sit, between the Headmistress and the DADA professor. To his left was Septima Vector, whom Harry had never had and barely spoken to. She was talking about some Rune somewhere that she thought the newest member of staff might be interested, but she was wrong. Next to her sat Neville who had returned for his apprenticeship under Professor Sprout. Neville continued to smile over to Harry in an attempt to make up for whatever Vector was going on about.

"You see, Harry, that is how you can calculate love. It's all in the maths. In fact, I can tell you just how compatible we actually are," the woman spoke with a seductive tone, slightly licking her lips. Harry nearly gagged and he couldn't help but catch Neville choking back laughter, covering it badly with his glass of pumpkin juice. Luckily at that moment the Great Hall began to fill students and Harry took a moment to sit up straighter. Minerva took her place as the students filed in, heading to their respective House table, leaving only Severus's and Hagrid's chairs empty. This was the way things were supposed to be and Harry couldn't hold back the large smile on his face. He was officially home.

* * *

Severus stood in the Entrance Hall awaiting the first years. Numbers were already lower this year due to the war. Many had fled, others had been badly injured and still worse, there were those that were killed. Several of his Slytherins smiled to him as they passed, heading to their place in the Great Hall. He nodded back at them, continuing to keep his stone cold exterior around the students. It would help prevent accidents in his classroom and was his preferred method.

The first years finally arrived with Hagrid, who continued into the Great Hall leaving the eleven year olds with the Deputy Headmaster. "Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am Deputy Headmaster Severus Snape. In a few minutes time you will enter the Great Hall to attend the start-of-term feast. Before you take your seats, you will be sorted into your houses. The Houses will be something like your family; you will have classes with them, sleep in your House dormitory and spend free time in your House common room.

"The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each House has a history and has produced outstanding witches and wizards. House points shall be awarded for your triumphs, and taken away for your failures. This is a competition and at the end of the school year the House Cup shall be awarded to the House with the most points.

"I will return for you when we are ready for you. Wait here, quietly." Severus turned on his heel and entered the Great Hall to find the stool and Sorting Hat being set up. He chose to stay at the back of the Hall waiting for the set up to finish. Looking up to the Head Table he made eye contact with Harry, a smile on the young man's face and he knew how he felt. He remembered back to his first year coming back on as staff and the feeling of excitement and of being home he had felt.

As Minerva and the students settled in, Severus stepped back into the hall and motioned for the eleven year olds to follow. He lifted the old, tattered Hat from the stool to remove the parchment underneath. As soon as the Hat was returned to the stool it sprung to life, causing the first years to gasp and the returning students to smile. Severus noted the look of wonderment upon Harry's face.

"You might not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find,  
A smarter hat than me.

"You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,  
And I can cap them all.

"There's nothing hidden in your head,  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you,  
Where ought to be.

"You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry,  
Set Gryffindor apart;

"You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,  
And unafraid of toil;

"Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
If you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;

"Or perhaps in Slytherin,  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folks use any means,  
To achieve their ends.

"So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands,  
(Though I have none),  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The Hat stilled and the entire Hall erupted in applause. Out of the corner of his eye, the Potions Master caught Harry and Neville exchange looks, obviously remembering the song from their own Sorting. Opening the parchment he glanced at the nervous eleven year olds. "When I call your name step forward and sit upon the stool with the Sorting Hat on top of your head. Once Sorted please sit yourself at the corresponding table.

"Adams, Ashley."

A scared blonde girl stepped forward and gingerly sat upon the stool, the Hat falling down over her eyes. In a matter of seconds the Sorting Hat yelled RAVENCLAW and thus started the sorting. One by one the new students stepped forward, some looking confident while others looked scared to the point of crying. Name after name through the forty one new students, finally ending with Zullen, Lynnae sorted to Gryffindor. While the new students were accepted into their houses, Severus returned the stool and Hat to the back room and took his seat, wondering exactly what to expect from this year.

* * *

Harry sat staring out over the Great Hall, taking in all of the students' faces, enjoying the company of one another. He had been surprised to hear the Sorting Hat sing the same song from his own Sorting. He made a mental note that he would have to tell Ron and Hermione about it on Friday. For the time being he had contented himself with merely sharing a glance with Neville, a smile on both of their faces at recalling just how nervous both men had been. He smiled slightly as Severus took his seat, the usual scowl plastered to his face. If he was trying to intimidate several of the new first years he had succeeded if the quick glances of terror at his seat said anything.

"Welcome to another year!" the Headmistress exclaimed, standing in place to begin the welcoming before the feast. "Before we begin indulging ourselves with this delicious food I have a few words. Less than a year ago this school was host to an intense battle, a final battle. I would like to take this moment to thank all of the Professors and volunteers that gave of their summer to help repair the damage." A round of applause rang out over the hall before Minerva motioned for the students to quiet.

"As always the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds and for the time being, so is the Quidditch Pitch. I have been asked by Mr. Filch to also remind students that there is to be no magic in the hallways and Weasley products are off limits. I would like to take this moment to welcome Professor Potter as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor DeLore as the new Muggle Studies teacher, and Mr. Longbottom as Professor Sprout's apprentice," Minerva paused to allow the applause.

"Now, tuck in and enjoy the meal!"

Harry noticed the food begin to pile itself onto the table and smiled. This had always fascinated him and the food was excellent. Looking out over his heard of Gryffindors he immediately spotted the trademark red hair of Ginny Weasley, noting that her eyes were focused on him. Frowning slightly he turned toward his meal, attempting to ignore the burning feeling from her stare.

"It appears that Miss Weasley has found something interesting on your face, Harry. That or the rumors are true and you are together," Septima said, her tone low and husky, lust clearly written on her face. Neville was behind her, attempting to stifle a laugh.

"I would have assumed that as a Professor you would not be interested in the idle gossip of who is with whom. I would suggest, Septima, that you occupy yourself with someone else," Severus stated before Harry could respond, his voice dripping with disdain. Harry gave him a brief smile; he wasn't sure that he could deal with Vector's advances so early on.

Vector frowned. "Come now, Sev, it is hardly idle. Parents will quickly become concerned if it appears that young Harry here is involved with one of his students, of age though she may be. I am simply trying to sway him from those thoughts by offering him something more mature. I am sure that I would be a better lay than a seventh year and it would be far more appropriate."

Severus let a scowled deeper, glaring at the woman, but said nothing, leaving Harry to feel as though he were trapped in some ridiculous custody battle. "While I appreciate your concern, Professor Vector, I am not seeing Ginny and am rather enjoying the single life at the moment. I have no intentions of seeing any one of my students, and while I am sure that you are a lovely person, I would prefer to have nothing of a sexual nature to do with you."

Harry caught the chuckle that the Potions Master attempted to hide, ducking his head to stare intently at his plate. Neville had also turned back to his food, his body shaking from laughter. Harry could only assume from the shocked look on Vector's face it wasn't often she was told no, but it didn't matter to him. He had no desire to have any sexual contact with the woman and he was currently finding little desire to even have a conversation with her. Sullenly she returned to her plate of food, barely making eye contact with anyone, leaving him in peace to finish his meal.

He watched as the tables cleared themselves, everyone in the Hall filled to the brim, sleep heavy on their eyes. Minerva stood a warm smile on her face. "Now that we have been plentifully fed, let us retire for the evening. Prefects, please lead the first years to your houses."

Harry rose along with the other professors watching the students leave. "Severus, Harry, Neville, a word if you please," the headmistress stated, motioning to the room just off the Hall. The three men nodded and followed her, confused looks upon two of their faces.

"Severus, you of course already know of this tradition, but I felt the need to invite you anyways. Harry, Neville, after patrols this evening a few of the Professors will gather for a game of poker. This will be an occasional continuance throughout the year to help relieve some stress. Normally it consisted of Pomona, Severus, Rolanda, and me, with the occasional appearance from Aurora. You are more than welcome to attend, though I will understand if any of you choose not to.

"Now, I know that both Severus and Harry have students to attend to. I hope to see you all later in my office," she turned and exited, heading for the gargoyle statue that guarded her office. The three nodded their goodbyes and Harry made his way up the familiar path to the Gryffindor common room.

Arriving at the portrait of the Fat Lady he smiled his greetings. "Omnia Vincit Amor," he stated and the portrait swung open, revealing the red and gold common room bustling with noise.

"Quiet!" he called, stepping deeper into the room so everyone could see him. Shouts of greetings were thrown at him and he raised his arms in an attempt to quiet them. Finally everyone had become silent, waiting for his announcements. "First off let me extend a warm welcome to the new Gryffindors. Congratulations. From now on this is your home away from home. For the past six years Gryffindors have been the proud owners of the House Cup and I would like to see it remain so be on your best behavior. I look to the older students to correct wrong behavior and to set the proper example.

"Should any of you every have a problem or need to talk, my door is always open. Please do not abuse my hospitality. Class schedules will be handed out in the morning. Should any of you have a problem with your classes let me know immediately after receiving it. Everyone is to be in bed by eleven. Do not make me have to come back in here after that time. You will not like the consequences. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

Before anyone could say anything he had turned to leave, quickly exiting through the portrait hole to make his way down to the dungeons for his patrol. A hand on his shoulder stopped him dead in his tracks. "Harry, I was hoping we could talk," the soft voice said, and immediately Harry cringed.

"Ginny, I am a Professor now. I must request that you address me as such. What can I help you with?" he asked, trying to keep himself formal sounding.

"Is that really what we have become, nothing more than mere student and Professor -after everything? Harry, I love you. I have from the moment I saw you. I apologize for my actions in the hospital wing, but we were finally free to be together, as we are now. All I want is to be with you," she said, moving closer to him in the process.

"You are in my class, actually one of my students. It wouldn't be professional for us to have a relationship and there are rules against this sort of thing. We aren't 'free' to be together. I also am enjoying my freedom too much to want to commit to a relationship. Having options for the first time in my life is agreeing with me. I am not ready to have to think about someone else, besides my weekends with Teddy. I am sorry, but that is my final decision. I must go. I have duties to attend to," Harry turned to leave, not willing to look at the anger written on the girl's face.

"You selfish bastard! I love you! All you care about is your fucking self! That's all you have cared about! I hope you're happy because I never want to have anything to do with you again!" she screamed at his retreating form. He was going to let her outburst go when a smooth voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Miss Weasley, disrespecting a Professor by yelling at him in the middle of the hall seems like a highly idiotic thing to do. Twenty points from Gryffindor for your outburst. I suggest that you return to your common room at once," Severus said.

Harry turned his face void of expression. "Follow me, Potter," Severus said quietly. Harry could only nod.

* * *

Severus led the young man down to his chambers and sat him on the couch before pouring him a cup of tea. The boy was clearly unhappy with Weasley's behavior though if he had been shouted at like that he doubted he would be thrilled. "Harry, I don't pretend to know what caused Miss Weasley's outburst, though I am assuming that it has something to do with the relationship she longs to have with you. I will not pry, but if you would like to talk about it I am offering to listen, a fact you should not get used to. Over these past several months I have come to view you as a friend and it is my understanding that is how friends behave."

Harry looked up, a smile on his face. "I never thought that I would live to hear the day that you called me your friend."

"Nor did I, but here we both are."

Harry paused, unsure of what exactly to say before he just began talking. "There really isn't much to tell about Ginny. I ended things in the hospital wing right after the final battle, right after coming to see you actually, though I am not sure that you could really call it ending them. We weren't ever together. I had postponed things with her until after the war for her own protection and she was mad at me for that. Once I killed Voldemort, she assumed that I would want to all of a sudden date her. Instead I wanted to explore life without a madman constantly trying to kill me. For the first time I had freedom and she couldn't understand that.

"We had a huge row then about it with her slapping me several times. I avoided her all summer, not wanting to start more drama or go through the fight again. The week I spent at the Burrow she was still here, helping care for the wounded. I left to come back here hours before she got home.

"After my duties as Head of House she followed me, professing her love for me, which is what you stumbled upon. I clearly don't feel the same and, come to think of it, I don't think I ever have. We were pushed in that direction, and for a long time I thought that I could want it, but I just don't," he finished lamely, staring down into his tea.

Severus could tell there was still something bothering the boy, could sense the added turmoil. He didn't have to wait long for the unspoken questions he had. "I'm not sure I even like women," Harry said quietly, barely more than a whisper.

Severus was shocked. He knew that the young man had quickly shut Septima down but he had assumed that was merely due to Septima's tactics. He never could have imagined that the savior of the wizarding world might be gay. In his shock he almost missed the words coming out of Harry's mouth accompanied by an ashamed tone. "I'm sorry, sir. I should just go. Thank you for the tea."

"Harry," he called, stopping the man at the door, "sit down. You have not said anything that offends me and I certainly don't want you to leave. I apologize for my seemingly unwelcoming silence. You are correct in the expectations that everyone had for you and Weasley, including myself. I was simply processing the information that you have told me." Harry took his seat again, the shame still evident in his eyes.

"Harry, there is nothing wrong with being homosexual. The Muggle stigma that comes with it is just that, a Muggle stigma. Views on homosexuality in the wizarding world are quite different. In fact, statistically speaking one out of every three wizards in homosexual. This is perfectly normal. I am assuming that I am the first person you have told?"

Harry frowned slightly. "In the wizarding world yes. I dated a Muggle in between my fifth and sixth years. I was hurting badly and he offered me some comfort… He was what made me sure."

Severus nodded. "I would suggest opening up to those you consider friends. If they truly care for you they will accept you for you. I have a hunch that Miss Granger may already know – she is the brightest witch of her age."

Harry nodded and Severus smiled, feeling much happier than he had in years. "It is late. I would recommend a good night's sleep before tomorrow. After all, it is your first day as a teacher." He stood, escorting Harry to the door.

"Goodnight, Severus, and thank you… for everything."


	8. The Dreaded First Week

A/N: I'm going to try to get one more edited tonight so it is ready to post first thing in the morning. Today kept me busier than I would have liked.

Chapter Seven: The Dreaded First Week

Harry awoke at five the next morning; bleary eyed he stumbled his way to the bathroom to prepare. Excitement and nervousness coursed through his veins and he was trying to calm himself with the hot water of the shower. The conversation from last night also was in the back of his mind, making him wonder just how close he had truly gotten with the older Professor. He had barely given any thought to how he was going to come out to his friends, let alone actually had the guts to do it and yet last night he openly admitted to Severus Snape of all people that he was gay. The weirder part was that Severus had actually calmed him down and told him it wasn't something he should be ashamed of, which confused the new Professor even more.

Finishing his shower he made his way to the sink to finish his morning routine. Taking a quick glance at his appearance he frowned. He looked young, young enough to still be a student. His black teaching robes did little to fix this. His hair still was as untamed as ever, he still had the same trademark glasses on his face. The only differences were the missing lightning bolt and the stubble he was determining what to do with. Part of him thought he should leave it to give himself that more mature look while the other part of him screamed to shave it and have a clean cut look. Frowning into the mirror he quickly cast the charm and it removed itself.

To say that he was nervous was an understatement. He had spent the summer preparing for this and yet now he felt as though he knew nothing. He was worried about gaining the students' respect, especially from the years that had attended school with him and those that knew him well. Harry was also concerned that his lessons could quickly get off topic, becoming about how he defeated Voldemort rather than defensive spells. While they were somewhat connected, Harry had no desire to recount the final battle to all of his classes, especially the younger years. Taking a steadying breath he made his way to the Great Hall for breakfast.

As he entered the Hall he noticed that only Severus and Fillius were seated at the Head Table and he couldn't help give a sigh of relief. Last night had been hell with Vector continually flirting with him. Minerva entered behind him, a smile on her face.

"We missed you and Severus at our little get together last night. I was hoping that you would come," she said, taking her place at the front. The few students that were already in the Hall looked up briefly before returning to their food. Harry smiled a guilty look on his face.

"I apologize for my absence. I was tired and went to bed early," he offered meagerly, hoping that would suffice. Minerva smiled and nodded, accepting his apology. She turned toward Severus and began to inform about his duties for the day, including passing out the schedules to the Prefects of each House to pass out. Severus grumbled a response causing Harry to chuckle into his porridge. Severus shot Harry the infamous scowl, causing Harry to laugh more. Minerva had even cracked a smile as the rest of the staff took their seats.

The rest of the meal passed in silence, many of the staff leaving before the students to prepare for their classes. Harry had been prepared since the week prior and decided that he would continue to sit in the Hall until breakfast was over. It wasn't long after that Severus stood to hand out the schedules, but not before pausing to whisper in Harry's ear.

"You will pay for your laughter later, brat."

Harry smirked and responded quickly, "We shall see." Rising he exited the Great Hall to ready himself for the first class of the day, his seventh year class. He was dreading this one class above all else. It consisted of members from every house, including none other than one pissed off Ginerva Weasley. Sitting himself behind his desk he awaited the arrival of his class, silently reading the material he was going to cover. He knew that several of the students in this class were members of Dumbledore's Army, the vigilante group he had created to teach Defense in his fifth year, but the majority had had unregulated study and inconsistent teachers. His plan for this class was to merely test their knowledge of defensive spells by a ten question quiz and then dueling with each student for a minute.

Luna Lovegood was the first student to enter the room, a carefree smile on her face. She chose a seat in the front, quietly unpacking her class supplies. "Good morning, Professor," she said airily, settling herself.

"Good morning, Miss Lovegood," he replied making sure to keep things professional. He didn't want to be accused of playing favorites on the first day in the first class. The rest of the students filed in, taking open seats. Several other Ravenclaws took the front along with one Slytherin. Ginny took the seat behind Luna and the rest was a mixture of Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Slytherins, most of whom he knew only from passing them in the halls when he had been a student. In total the class only had about 20 students. Taking a deep, steadying breath he stood and made his way to the front of the room, his robes billowing behind him.

"Good morning, class. Today you won't need your books. For the past six years this class has been taught by a different instructor, each with different levels of expertise and no set curriculum. Today I will be testing exactly how much you know and just how prepared you are for your upcoming exam. We will start with a ten question quiz which you will have ten minutes to complete. I will then go in reverse alphabetical order and duel you to test your skills," he said, flicking his wand to pass out the tests.

The students went right to work, those that had been in the DA finishing in half of the allotted time along with several of the Slytherins and Ravenclaws. At the ten minute mark Harry called time, flicking his wand again to collect the quizzes, stacking them in a neat pile on his desk. Glancing briefly at his roster he called to the front Zander, Colton, a Hufflepuff.

"I will be firing _Expelliarmus _and _Impedimenta _at you. I want you to dodge or block them for as long as you can. Wand at the ready," Harry said to the class before turning to the scared looking boy. His hand was shaking, barely holding onto his wand, his eyes darting back and forth in fear. Harry bit back a smirk and immediately yelled, "Impedimenta!" The Hufflepuff barely managed to block in time and wasn't prepared when Harry sent _Expelliarmus _his way, his wand flying from his hand.

"Weasley, Ginny," Harry called and fought to keep his face impartial. Her face held a look of pure anger and he knew that he may expect some retaliation of curses. "Expelliarmus!" he called when she was ready and watched as she blocked it with ease. "Impedimenta!" he cried and was met again by the same result. He began to fire them faster, noticing the way she blocked and dodged, doing her best to not exert more energy than necessary. After a minute Harry haulted, knowing that he would have to move on to the next student.

"Well done, Miss Weasley. Waterford, Zacharias," he said, dismissing one and bringing up the next. This went on for a while, most lacking the basic skills to handle a rapid fire, a few lacking the ability to properly block at all.

"Lovegood, Luna," he reached finally, only a little over half through the class. She dreamily walked to the front, taking her wand from its holster on her arm, a smile still on her face. "Impedimenta," he called and she blocked lazily. They battled her blocking and dodging for the allotted minute before he stopped her and sent her back to her desk, the dreamy smile still on her face.

After several more minutes he had made it through the class, impressed with most of their abilities but knowing that they still needed work. Ginny, Luna, and a scrawny Slytherin named Sherman Cadolt had easily been the best in the class. Looking out over the class he called, "You are dismissed," turning to their quizzes. The noise of bags and footsteps began and he sighed; he had made it through what he thought would be the toughest class of the day.

A small noise caught his attention and he looked back up only to find the dreaded hair that he had been hoping to avoid. "Harry, can we talk?"

"When at Hogwarts I am going to have to ask you to call me Professor. What can I help you with, Miss Weasley?"

"Miss Weasley? I've always been Ginny to you. You have been around for years and never once referred to me as that. What the fuck? Did you take this job just to prove your point? You really had no desire to be with me so you took the one job that would ensure that you couldn't? What the fuck happened to you? The Harry I know didn't hide behind some position. He said what he meant and liked me – no loved me! We were supposed to settle down. You were supposed to join the Aurors and we would start a family! What happened to that?" she questioned, her voice rising slightly.

Harry sighed. "First and foremost, thirty points from Gryffindor for your disrespect and language. Secondly, I took this job because I am interested in the subject and bettering the future. Don't you think after spending my entire life being marked by a madman that I am tired of hunting evil? Someone else can do that for a change. I would prefer to sit and teach the new generations of magical folk how to defend themselves against whatever evil is out there. It has already been proven that it is every man for their self. Why else would an eleven year old child be expected to carry the entire weight of the wizarding world on his shoulders? Why else would I have been offered up as a sheep for the slaughter; a sacrificial killing to save the rest of you? I am sorry if you are bothered by my life choices, but for the first time since joining this world I have the opportunity to do my own thing and figure out just what I love. My intent was never to hurt you, but you need to move on. Accept the fact that I can't be what you want. It will be easier for the both of us. Now you will be late for your next class if you do not hurry and I need to see to my own. Good day."

He glanced to the door, watching the group of second years waiting timidly for him to finish. With a final huff Ginny turned and left and Harry motioned in the second years, taking only a few minutes to orient himself to the lesson. The second years, Ravenclaw and Slytherin, seemed nervous but excited and many finished the simple quiz well before the time limit. He didn't have them duel; instead he had them review by reading the first chapter. The time passed quickly.

The rest of the day moved smoothly, ending with an awed class of first year Slytherins and Gryffindors. Smiling to himself he made his way toward the Great Hall, eager to relax at dinner before he had a night worth of grading to do. All but the last class had had quizzes ranging in the information they should already know, except his class of first years, who were tested on their text. He would have all of that grading tonight as he would have new groups all day tomorrow, starting with the first year Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws, whom he would have read the first chapter in the intro to Defense book.

Taking his place at the head table, he couldn't help but smile at the tired looking man beside him. "Rough day?" he asked quietly, making sure to not attract attention.

"You have no idea. I had three classes worth of dunderheads that could not manage a correct potion if it fell in their idiotic laps. I nearly had two cauldrons explode in a sixth year class alone," Severus said, a scowl plastered to his face.

"Well, I may know of a way to make things better for you. Would you care for some tea in my rooms after rounds?"

"How exactly would tea make me feel better?"

"You'll have to come and find out," Harry answered coyly before turning to his plate of food. As he didn't have rounds himself tonight, his falling every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, he would have plenty of time to grade before Severus would be able to join him. As per old habits, Harry was done eating in half the time, sitting until other teachers were leaving. Septima had again tried to make contact throughout the meal and Harry was finding it hard to keep his comments to himself, choosing only to nod or shake his head. Once more she had invited him to join her and he refused, citing that he had grading to do. Nodding to the rest of the head table he left to do just that before Severus would join him, or so he hoped.

The grading went much quicker than he thought. Most of his student's had the basic understanding of defense it seemed, the ones who had put in the extra work were obvious. He would need to review some of the basic animal traits with the sixth years and the fifth years didn't know the first thing about more advanced shielding charms, but given the circumstances, they weren't as far behind as Harry had expected. About half an hour after he finished, his head firmly planted in a book, he heard the awaited knock at the door.

"Good evening, Severus," he said, opening the door and stepping aside to allow the man entrance. The older man nodded before taking a seat on the couch.

* * *

Severus stared at the younger man, confused as to exactly what he was doing here. Harry had offered him some relief and if the boy could truly relieve the stress that was building in the man's neck and shoulders, Severus would do anything. "What exactly do you plan to do to relieve my stress?" he asked, watching Harry set the steaming cups of tea in front of him.

"Hermione would always stress herself out with homework and exams. Usually it would get to the point where she would have massive migraines. I became pretty talented at massages to help relieve that tension. If you would be willing, maybe I could try one on you and see if it helps."

Severus paused, taking a sip of the hot tea while he thought. No one had ever offered such a thing to him before and he was unsure why Potter of all people would.

'No, Harry,' his mind chided, correcting his own thoughts. "I will allow it."

He watched as Harry stood, shedding the outer robe to reveal a pair of dark jeans, red dress shirt and a black tie, and made his way behind the older man. Soon soft hands were firmly planted on the shoulder, rolling and twisting the muscle, releasing the buildup of pressure. It took every ounce of self-control Severus had not to moan at the feeling. Within half an hour the man was smiling, all tension gone.

"Thank you," he said, relaxing back against the couch.

"You are quite welcome," the boy said taking a seat in the arm chair in front of him. He seemed tired and Severus nearly slapped himself for not asking how his first day of classes went earlier.

"How was your first day?"

Harry shrugged. "Your advice helped. You can't show them any weakness. I tried to not play favorites and over all I think it went very well, though I am tired."

Severus nodded. "Teaching does take a lot out of you. It is why I was usually grumpy, especially when we have midnight rounds to make."

He noticed Harry seemed to deflate a bit at that. "I want to apologize for the trouble I caused you around here. A lot of those midnight patrols were because I was usually out of bed and roaming the castle."

Severus shrugged. "It is part of the job, Harry. I will still patrol the corridors at midnight, just as you will when it is your scheduled night. I will even go as far as to admit that I enjoyed taking points from you. You were an easy target and, in that aspect, exactly like your father."

Harry laughed and it was sound that warmed Severus's heart. "I suppose you are correct there."

Severus chuckled. "I should be leaving for the night. Tonight is my night for rounds and it is nearly midnight now. I will see you at breakfast tomorrow." He stood and left, barely hearing the goodnight Harry bid him, lost in his own thoughts.

'You are growing attached to the boy.'

'No! He is simply tolerable and young, like I was when I started. I want him to succeed!' he argued back, denying the feeling of loss he had been hit with when he left.

'Sure, because you felt that way about the other young colleagues who came after you. You care and you want him as more than a friend.'

He growled at his own thoughts, glancing around the dark halls as he continued to walk. Soon he came upon a couple in an alcove, taking points from the pair and sending them back to their house for the night. He smiled as he finished in front of the portrait of Slytherin guarding his rooms, entering for the night, his thoughts still swirling around Harry bloody Potter.

* * *

Harry awoke the next morning feeling more tired than he had when he had gone to bed. His dreams had been of the dead again, causing him to toss and turn throughout the night. The dreams weren't as frequent as they had been right after the war, though they were just as real and just as frightening. Clambering out from under the sheets he was tangled in, he immediately headed for the shower, letting the hot water run over him, his head resting against the cool tile. His thoughts were running wild, remembering back to how he thought that the man that had quickly become his friend was dead, how he defeated the darkest wizard of the age and the cost the victory had come at.

His thoughts then began to wander to his friendship with Severus, the evenings the two had spent talking, the days spent brewing. Harry had even gotten the man to smile and chuckle. His cock twitched at that thought, startling him. He could see the attractive qualities of the man, though his nose was large and his skin pale he was tall and well built, muscular. His smile was perfect, his eyes seemed to peer right into your soul. Frustration began to pour off the boy and he firmly grasped his member, allowing his thoughts to continue as he rubbed himself to a release.

* * *

Severus was in the Great Hall before any other person, as was his usual. He enjoyed making grand entrances when they were needed to strike the fear in students, but when it came to eating he preferred the silence. He was shocked when he noticed Harry quietly enter next, making his way slowly to the front, dark rings under his eyes. It was obvious that the boy had had a rough night, which wasn't an unusual thing for him. Severus could often remember noticing the young man during his schooling days, sitting at the Gryffindor table with his two friends looking exhausted. He had assumed that the dreams had stopped since the war had ended and with the help of the occasional Dreamless Sleep. It appeared, however, that his assumptions had been wrong.

"Rough night?" he asked gruffly, turning to the young man as he took his place.

"You could say that."

Severus nodded, unsure of what to say next. He was overcome by a desire to wrap the boy in his arms and hold him, making him feel comfortable and safe, promising to never let him have a night like that again.

"You don't seem so well rested yourself," Harry stated, taking a sip of the steaming coffee that had placed itself in front of him.

"I had a long night of brewing. Apparently several students were feeling under the weather when they arrived and drained Poppy of her stock of Pepper-Up Potions."

"You could have sent me your patronus. I would have come and helped. Maybe that way at least one of us would have gotten a decent night's sleep," Harry said, his voice sounding somewhat defeated.

"Harry, anytime you need a Dreamless Sleep just come to my room. I keep extra stores for personal use. I can also easily make more. As you said yesterday, the students can spot weakness and you not sleeping is a weakness," Severus said, more passion in his voice than he meant to let slip through.

He noted the shamed look on the boy's face, the slight blush creep upon his face as he stared into his coffee mug. "I don't want to bother anyone," he mumbled, causing Severus to have the urge to slap the back of his head.

"I believed that we are friends, Harry. That is what friends do for one another, or at least that was my understanding. I want to help you. I have grown to care for you over the years; I thought you knew that," he said, staring at the man. At that moment the rest of the staff began to trickle in along with a few students, those blasted early risers. Harry nodded, but said nothing else as the food arrived. It was going to be a long day for them both.

* * *

Harry couldn't believe what had transpired before breakfast arrived. He knew that Severus had been allowing him to get closer, but he never thought the man who was known for privacy would ever allow him to interrupt him for a potion whenever he needed it. Sure, it would help with his sleep, which was something that he needed even more now. Students were not easy to deal with. Ron, Hermione, and he had broken more school rules than most, but remembering back to Fred and George, students could be handfuls. He was going to have to be patient, something that he wasn't skilled at to begin with, let alone when he hadn't slept the night before. Taking a deep steadying breath he began to fill up on his eggs, bacon and toast, praying breakfast would help provide him energy.

The rest of the day wore on slowly for Harry and ended at dinner time with each house missing at least 30 points for their behavior. He couldn't believe how unruly the first year Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff class had been. The Ravenclaws were a talkative bunch and the Hufflepuffs had only wanted to hear about his conquests and the latest gossip concerning the hero of the wizarding world. In the older classes he had been graced with at least one person trying to cheat on his small quiz to test their knowledge. He was thoroughly disappointed with the dueling capabilities of the fourth through sixth years of that day. In fact, the only class he had enjoyed was that of the third year Ravenclaw/Gryffindor group. Sighing he glanced at the clock, realizing that he had only four minutes to make it to the Great Hall on time for dinner. Taking several of the secret passages from the dungeons he just made it, pushing open the large doors to find the majority of the school already seated making it a grand entrance.

'Shit. I shouldn't have gotten so caught up in grading,' he thought to himself, making a conscience effort to keep his head high without a blush. His eyes met the stone cold black ones that seemed to look straight through him, causing his heart to race his. This was an unusual feeling; one that he had only briefly felt with Cho.

'No, this can't be happening.'


	9. Heavy Hours

Chapter Eight: Heavy Hours

Severus watched as Harry made his way down the length of the hall and took his seat, quietly staring at the table watching the food pile on to the many plates. Something was clearly bothering him and Severus wasn't sure as to what but knew better than to push the boy. If he wanted to talk about it, he would. The boy had never had a knack for keeping things to himself. Silently he added food to his plate, making sure to eat small amounts, saving room for the tea he would be having later, hopefully with Harry as company.

"What are you thinking?" the thick Scottish accent interrupted his thoughts.

"Merely how many things have changed and yet how the students have not. One would think that one year I would have a student with true potential," he said shortly, wanting to make this conversation as short as possible.

"Ms. Granger had true potential. You were simply too caught up in the prejudice of the houses to see it."

"No. What Granger had was the ability to parrot back anything that she had read in a book. If I had ever asked her to create her own variation of a potion I have no doubt that she would have failed. She proved that when Horace had them using the outdated text and she could not see how easily it was to correct the directions to make the potions better," Severus argued, dismissing anything else.

Minerva just humphed and turned back to her own plate of food. "We are having another poker game this Saturday night. I was hoping that Harry and you would be able to join us for this one. Perhaps you can talk him into allowing one of the house elves to stay with Ted while he comes. I am sure that Septima would be thrilled with the addition of Harry."

Severus scowled. This was not what he wanted to hear. He had begun to grow close to Harry, closer than he had ever allowed himself to become to anyone since Lily, closer than he was even comfortable with. He also didn't know if Harry had feelings for him or if it was all just in his head, but he knew that he was becoming attached and didn't want Septima to get in the way. It was a known fact that she was flirtatious with most of the older male students, though she refused to act on anything until their graduation. Now there was a young staff member that she could prey upon without repercussion, even though he knew the boy would not want her advances.

"I will be sure to invite the brat, though I doubt that I will be in attendance. I have far better things than to sit and gossip about things that occur within these walls," he responded, praying that Harry was listening and took his refusal for what it was, a warning to the boy.

"What you need is to take some time off and enjoy the company you are surrounded with. You have people who truly care about you, Severus. Do not waste that," Minerva warned, earning a deeper scowl from the man. "Though I cannot force you to be in attendance, I would encourage you to get outside of your rooms and socialize with your coworkers," she finished in her best motherly tone.

Severus stood, glaring at the long table, and took his exit, his long robes swirling about behind him. He would be damned if she used that motherly tone to guilt him into attending the damn poker games. In past games that he had attended he was the only male and usually left after any one of his female colleagues hit on him. He didn't want Harry, whom had no interest in women, to have to deal with that. He was still so young and inexperienced.

'Are you sure this has nothing to do with jealousy?' his mind chided as he threw open the door to his rooms. The professor growled; how dare his mind take him to places such as that. He had come to care for the boy as a friend and mentor. It wasn't anything more than that. Pouring himself a large glass of firewhiskey, he took his normal seat and lost himself deep in thought, staring into the fireplace all the while.

* * *

Harry took his seat next to Severus and listened half-heartedly to the conversation taking place around him. The students had all begun a furious whispering as he entered late, speculating on where he was and what he was doing, most hoping that he was fulfilling his trouble maker duties. How disappointed they would be when they discovered he had lost track of time doing something as mundane as grading.

'Though had you been on time you never would have caught Severus' eye,' his mind thought, causing him to flush. Praying that no one at the head table or among the student body noticed this, he banished any such thought from his mind. This was not the time or place for it.

The young man was startled by the sound of chair scraping and movement of a black figure caught his attention. Snapping straight up he realized that it was Severus, tearing on silent feet out of the Great Hall. Looking up to the head spot, he noticed that small smirk on Minerva's face, a telltale sign that she was somehow involved in his departure. Shaking his head he couldn't stifle the chuckle that was on his lips, escaping out into the noisy eating room.

"It will do him some good," she said, the thick Scottish accent washing over him like a warm blanket.

"I doubt that, but you are right for hoping. He is as prickly as ever. One would think with the war over he would relax some."

Minerva nodded. "I was trying to get him to agree to come to the poker game this evening. Perhaps you will have better luck."

"Well, I can try but I will tell you now, I doubt my chances of success. Honestly, sometimes I would rather face Voldemort than Snape most days." Rising from his place, he slipped out of the Great Hall in pursuit of the older man.

After a few minutes of using the shortcuts he was in front of the dreaded Potions Master's door. It was true that they had grown closer over the months, but there was no denying that Harry was still terrified of the man at times. With the reaction Minerva got, he was skeptical that this would be a fun discussion.

'Are you a Gryffindor or not?' his mind chided, indignant that something like fear would halt him. He summoned his courage to him, surrounding himself with it like a cloak. Gently he brought his hand up to the door and knocked, producing a sound that echoed in the empty stone corridor.

The door was flung open violently, revealing the Potions Master with his normal scowl meant to frighten away any student. "You made a run from dinner so quickly you barely touched your food. I thought we could share a meal here," Harry began, making sure to keep the shake of fear from his voice. He would need to be bold for this. The older man nodded and stepped aside, allowing Harry entrance into his private rooms. Harry took a steadying breath as he entered, taking his usual spot upon the couch.

"Dax!" Severus called, the anger still evident in his voice. Whatever happened to cause his abrupt departure from dinner was at the forefront of his mind. This was unusual from the Potions Professor. At that moment a small elf appeared in the kitchenette with a 'pop', immediately dropping into a deep bow.

"How can Dax serve the Professor of Potions and the Professor of Defense?" the elf asked from his bowing position. Severus snarled.

Harry abruptly stood, hurrying in to instruct the elf. "If you don't mind, a tray of tea and a mix of whatever was served at dinner." The elf nodded and disappeared, leaving the two men alone. Harry motioned to the sitting area, hoping to calm the Potions Master before some poor student was on the opposite end of his wrath.

"I don't mean to pry, but what has you so upset? It is not often that you become this angry and neither Neville nor I are the cause. At least, I don't think either one of us are the cause."

Severus stared, the anger building by the minute. "I was instructed to inform you that Saturday night will be another poker game."

Harry couldn't help the look of confusion. "And that has you this upset? I would think that would be a minor thing."

"You realize your presence is mainly requested because you are male?" he growled in response.

Harry merely laughed. This was not happening. There had to be more to this than just some protective nature that the older man still felt over him.

"What are you finding so funny?" Severus snapped.

"You are one of the few who knows my preference and yet you are upset that a bunch of women want to play a card game. It would appear as though you are jealous that a few women will flirt with me. I find that funny."

Dax appeared with a plate of food and the tea tray, interrupting the pair. As soon as everything was set the elf blinked out of existence again.

"You don't know these women. They drink too much and will make vulgar comments in pathetic attempts to get you in bed with them," Severus held his ground, growling.

Again Harry laughed. "I am fully capable of holding my own. I have faced worse," he paused to take a bite of chicken. "You never denied jealousy."

"I didn't see the need to respond to such an imbecilic notion. It is in my nature to be protective of you. I was willing to lay down my life for the protection of you. I am merely fulfilling that role."

"So you don't care for me outside of duty?" Harry questioned, trying to keep the hurt from his voice.

Severus sighed. "You truly are like your father, Harry. You don't listen to what is being said. I never stated that I didn't care. I protect you _because _I care.

"I made many mistakes in my past, most of which you already are aware of. Lily was my first friend and though we grew apart, one I cared deeply for. I never agreed with her on your father, but you have so many of your mother's traits how could I not care for you? Now that I also have gotten to know you, that caring goes even deeper."

Harry sat in silence. The older man was right, as usual. He would need to work on not jumping to conclusions if he was going to win the man…

Wait, where did that thought come from? He couldn't give into his feelings, at least not feelings of this nature. After all, he was only now beginning to befriend the man. And the age difference… No, it wasn't possible.

"I apologize for my comments. They were uncalled for. I am still attempting to change some of my childish ways and today I am very tired. You are not wrong that I have some characteristics of my father, including his arrogance," Harry stated, pulling himself from his thought.

Severus nodded and began to eat himself, hunger from lack food getting the better of them. The younger man took another bite, allowing silence to fill the room. Harry could tell that while they ate, Severus was deep in thought. All the boy could manage to think about was the way Severus's mouth moved as he ate. Occasionally his pink tongue would dart out to moisten the lips Harry imagined kissing…

NO! He wouldn't let his mind take him there. Not now.

"I was curious about your Occlumency skills. Without the Dark Lord in your mind I would hope that you might be capable of the simple task of occluding your mind."

"I haven't tested it. There really hasn't been a need. I have spent most of my time here since the battle," Harry said, trying to keep the nervousness from his voice. If Severus began to dig around his mind he would discover the feelings the younger man had. It would ruin his friendship.

'He may like it,' his mind argued. 'You could be just what he needs.'

"It can come in handy. Practice before you sleep each night. I may test you from time to time without warning."

Harry nodded, the fear rising into his chest. He needed to get out of here before something slipped. "I will do that," he said as he stood. "It is getting late and I still have grading to do. I never realized just how much homework teachers truly had along with all the patrols they do. There are times when I would rather face Voldemort again than deal with this workload."

Severus nodded and stood. "And just imagine doing all of this when trying to wrangle the biggest trouble makers this school has ever seen all while keeping the leader of the group safe from the clutches of the Dark Lord." There was a twinkle in Severus's eye Harry had only noticed a couple other times. It was light and signified the older man was in a better mood, fulfilling the purpose of this visit.

"Well, you only caught us in about half the things we did. In hindsight, had we trusted you more we probably would have been in trouble less."

Severus again nodded. "At least you know that now. However, with the way I had to behave I am not surprised that you and your friends mistrusted me. Many days I mistrusted me."

"It's in the past now. You have atoned for your mistakes and then some. Besides, it was just another thing Hermione was right about," Harry responded, a huge smile on his face.

"How is the know-it-all? I had heard she was already making a name for herself at the Ministry," Severus asked, shifting so he was leaning against the doorframe.

"She's in love with her job and is quickly moving through the ranks. Still with Ron, which is probably a good thing so she can keep him in line. He turned down the Aurors and is working with George at the joke shop," Harry said, moving further into the hall.

"I am sure that Molly is already pushing children on them, even though they are both young and unprepared."

Harry laughed, knowing all too well that was exactly what Molly was like. "I am sure that after throwing a couple fits to Ron, Hermione will be able to hold her own. After all, she is the brightest witch of her age. I really must be off now. Perhaps we can do lunch tomorrow in private? I could use a break from the stressors of students and I have heard a rumor that the staff can have one meal to themselves a day."

* * *

Severus nodded, allowing the younger man to turn and head down the hallway toward his own room, only closing his door when Harry rounded the corner. He was confused by the man. He hadn't expected Harry to notice his departure from dinner; hadn't expected anyone aside from the Headmistress to notice. Though, if he was honest with himself, he truly didn't mind the intrusion of the current Defence teacher. If he was honest with himself he would have admitted that he was in fact jealous of the women ogling Harry openly, if only for the fact that they could openly flirt with him. However, honesty with one's self was not something Severus was truly skilled or comfortable with. So, in true Snape fashion, he sat himself in his arm chair with a cup of tea and set to brooding. At least, that was until there was a knock at the door.

Jerking the door open he was surprised to find Minerva standing in his doorway. A scowl immediately found his face as he asked, "What message do you need me to send now?"

"That is not at all the reason for my visit so wipe that scowl off your face. I am here to attempt to be your friend, though you seem so determined to fight that. I am concerned. You have the same demeanor you have always had even though it appears that a certain young man has won your friendship."

"I was unaware a change was expected," he responded, attempting to keep himself calm.

"That would be true if certain other things hadn't changed. When you returned many of the staff felt that your attitude would be different. Then you befriended Potter and everyone thought that would bring a softer side out of you. Instead I have students terrified of you, staff complaining of you snark and now you storming from the middle of dinner. Always before you had better control of your temper. What has changed?" the thick Scottish accent questioned.

"I have always had students fearful of me. I find they mind better and fewer accidents occur that way. I am tired of everyone assuming they know the real me when all they have witnessed is the version that was manipulated and controlled by Albus Dumbledore. I have finally come to a point in my life where I do not have to repent for any mistakes – I have done my time. I will not apologize for being the bitter man I have always been to fit someone else's ideals for me. This is me," he said quietly, his voice dangerously low.

A disappointed look crossed Minerva's face clearly disheartened by his remarks. "You are a good man, Severus. Throughout all of your hardships and all of Albus's demands you have proved that. I just hope one day you come to realize it yourself." With her final statement, the Headmistress showed herself out, leaving the man alone with his thoughts.


	10. Unintended Consequences

Chapter Nine: Unintended Consequences

Rain poured down, angrily hitting against the slate roof of the castle, trapping all of its inhabitants indoors Friday late afternoon. The library and common rooms were full of students attempting to occupy themselves with studies, games or chit chat. Harry could be found at his desk, fulfilling the mandated office hours. There was still a half hour left before he could close the door and prepare for dinner. Ron and Hermione were coming to the castle and he wanted to be out of his teaching robes before they arrived. So far no one had come for help, allowing the young professor to finish his grading and begin prepping things for Monday's lessons. All in all, he was finding this a very boring ordeal. A soft knock on the door signified the end of his boredom.

"Come in," he said, sounding much more exhausted than he thought he was. Glancing up from the third year text he was skimming he spotted the long red hair that could only belong to Ginny. Hesitantly she moved across the room, taking the chair opposite his desk. When she didn't speak he sighed.

"Ms. Weasley, you are the top of your class. You have excelled at the written work and the practical. What is it I can help you with?" he asked the exhaustion still evident.

Without saying a word, the door had magically been shut and Ginny was around the table, firmly pressing her lips to his. A yelp of surprise escaped him and she seized her opportunity, her tongue making its way into his mouth. His mind began to work double time and he found himself forcefully pushing her away.

Taking a second to collect himself, Harry stared down the seventeen year old. "50 points from Gryffindor and two weeks of detention to be served with Professor Snape. He will inform you of when they will be. I have told you multiple times that it is against school policy and that I am not interested. I am appalled by your behavior. If it happens again I will be forced to notify the Headmistress and your parents," he scolded, doing his best to keep the anger from his voice. Returning back to his text he waited for the sound of the door being opened and shut, a sound that didn't come.

"I know you want me. We are meant to be together. Everyone says so. You defeated Voldemort. No one would question it. I'm of age!" she argued and he could hear the anger beginning to rise in her voice.

Abruptly Harry stood and walked to the door, his blood boiling with rage. He yanked the door open, nearly removing it from the hinges. When he spoke his voice was dangerously low, "Get out."

The red head refused to move, defiantly standing by his desk.

"GET OUT!" Harry bellowed, sparks shooting from his wand clenched in his right hand. She bolted, running from the scene, not even stopping to look back.

* * *

Severus was walking the halls enjoying the sound of the rain as he patrolled. He had already caught eleven students breaking rules, eight of which were coupled. The other three were caught playing with a banned Weasley product that the snarky professor had confiscated. He was just rounding the corner of the second floor corridor when he felt a surge of magic from the DADA office. Quickening his pace he saw Ginerva Weasley bolt from the room, tearing down the corridor in the opposite direction. This couldn't be good.

Arriving at the door, he gently knocked though the door was already open. Harry glared at the door, his face only softening when he saw who it was. The younger man didn't appear to be injured physically, leaving Severus to assume it was another attempt to win his heart.

Harry shakily made his way over to his desk, sitting himself in his chair. Severus softly closed the door and took the seat opposite waiting for Harry to talk.

"I just don't know what to do," the Defense professor said after a moment of silence. "She kissed me today. I felt nothing but disgust. She has a delusion in her mind that we are supposed to be together. She has two weeks of detention and a 50 point deduction. I hope you don't mind the detentions are with you."

Severus nodded. That was an arrangement he had suggested and he had no problem upholding it, though he would most certainly enjoy it.

"I also said that if it happens again I would have to notify the Headmistress and her parents, though I am not sure how great that will go. Molly is probably the one helping to solidify these delusions."

Again Severus could only nod. He knew the woman through working with the Order and it was true that she was just as infatuated with Harry as any other fan. She went out of her way to make the boy feel welcomed even though she often could be found staring at him when he wasn't paying attention. The thought of the possibility of him truly joining the family was probably enough to make her crazy. "I believe you have handled the situation admirably. You are removing yourself from trouble and are making it known this is unacceptable behavior. That is all that can be expected from you. You did not invite her in to your office to seduce her. She came in intent upon it."

"Right," Harry stated, a sarcastic tone filling his voice. Severus sighed. He was truly unsure of how to make his colleague feel better. This wasn't his normal tendency. If it had happened to anyone else he would have walked away, preferring to avoid the scene. For whatever reason, he found himself drawn to the man across from him, looking worse for wear.

"It is correct. Now, I believe that it is close enough to the end of your office hours that you would be perfectly within your right to shut down and go and freshen up. I was on my way back to the dungeons after this floor anyway. I would be perfectly happy to escort you." The words shot out of his mouth before he could stop them, sounding as though he were escorting the boy on a date. He watched the man smile, surprise flooding him at this response.

"Of course! That sounds wonderful!" Severus watched as Harry stood up, his still tone muscles flexing under his fitted teaching robes. The older man couldn't help but admire the way the boy moved. Shaking his head he cleared his mind, denying he was feeling anything other than friendship toward the boy.

'You taught him for fucks sake,' his mind chided, scowling at himself.

'Yes, but now he is a professor and your colleague. Not to mention you have become closer – friendlier – with him since his school days.'

'No! I refuse to have this discussion. I am not interested in Harry bloody Potter!'

'Oh, but you are.'

On the argument in his mind went as the pair walked in silence, taking the shortcut to their hallway in the dungeons. Harry stopped at the portrait of Merlin, Severus still lost in thought.

"Are you alright? You seem distracted," the boy questioned a concerned look on his face.

Severus shook himself for letting himself get lost that deep. "I am fine. Preoccupied with my own thoughts on several potions I am experimenting with."

Harry nodded. "I suppose now would be a good time to warn you that Ron and Hermione are coming to castle for dinner. The trio will be united in your presence once again."

Severus groaned. "Great. The three trouble makers united in these halls and I cannot remove points from any of them. Whatever shall I do?" he asked, a smile playing on his face. This should make for an interesting meal.

"They aren't bad. We all have grown up since the final battle. We were sort of forced to," Harry said shifting his weight.

Now the older man felt bad. He hadn't meant to cause the boy any discomfort. "I am sure you all have grown up. None of you had an easy childhood. In your first year you faced more danger than most eleven year olds and lived to tell the tale," Severus said gently. "I will leave you to get yourself ready. I am sure I will see you in the Great Hall."

Harry nodded and entered his room, leaving the Potions Master alone in the hallway, contemplating the young man. Looking back he was amazed that none of them had been more gravely injured. They had spent most of their time in the castle breaking the rules for the Greater Good just as he had spent most of his time dangly on the arm of the Dark Lord. The fact they had all survived to see this stage in their lives was a miracle.

He entered his own room and poured himself a glass of Firewhiskey, lost in his own thoughts and feelings. His wall clock sounded an hour later, notifying him that if he didn't move he would be late for dinner. He had spent the entire time drinking and thinking of Harry. He couldn't deny it anymore that he was becoming infatuated with the boy, but he was sure that these feelings were one sided. Harry could have anyone he wanted. His fame alone ensured that. There was no way he was going to go after a middle aged, greasy haired, large nosed man with a snarky attitude. They were becoming friends, but that would be all they ever were. Sighing, Severus stood and walked to the Great Hall, his mood becoming sourer and sourer as he went.

* * *

Harry closed the door to his room with a small smile. He was unsure how the older man had managed to make him feel better as they hadn't really said much but he supposed it was his presence alone. Now he was looking forward to seeing his two best friends. It was true that they had been inseparable since halfway through their first year and being in the castle without them was weird. He would be lying if he said he didn't miss them terribly. Stripping down he opted to grab a quick shower to remove the stress of the day, his thoughts drifting back to Severus as the warm water cascaded over him. He was glad they were finally making progress towards friendship. Conversations had become easier and both men were willing to be completely open with one another. Not to mention how quickly Severus had entered the room after what had occurred with Ginny.

At these thoughts his cock began to twitch to attention, growing harder and harder. He imagined what it would feel like to kiss the stern professor who had hated him for years. He imaged soft lips brushing lightly against his own, the calloused hands roaming over his back. Taking himself in his hand he slowly stroked himself, allowing himself to lose himself in his fantasy. As the images continued, him being sucked by Severus, he moved faster and faster, a powerful orgasm the end result. He leaned against the shower wall, a blush from embarrassment covering his body.

Where had those thoughts come from? He couldn't be infatuated with Snape like that, could he? The man wasn't the easiest on the eyes but there was no denying the older man cared. Maybe that was it. After years of living with the Dursleys and fighting for the wizarding world he was merely attracted to the caring of the older man.

'Bullshit,' his mind argued. 'You are interested because he is kind, funny, smart and also because he cares for you. You should make a move.'

'There is no way he likes me like that and I am not having this conversation with myself!' he yelled back, ending his thoughts and turning his attention to what he was going to wear to dinner.

He dressed quickly in a pair of loose jeans, a plaid button down shirt with the sleeves rolled and pulled a navy blue robe over the ensemble. He quickly pulled on a pair of low rise Chuck Taylors. Smiling to himself he brushed his hair to rid it of the tangles and headed up to the Entrance Hall to meet his friends. As he reached the hall the pair were entering the castle, escorted in by Minerva herself. Hermione was already lost in conversation with the Headmistress. Harry couldn't help but smile.

"I am glad that you two could make it!" he said, embracing Ron and then Hermione. Both responded in turn and the trio made their way to the head table where two more chairs had been added. Harry opted to sit in the middle, Hermione took the seat to his left, sitting beside Severus, and Ron filled in on the right awarded with a sweet smile from Septima. Harry could tell that this would be a long night for Ron.

"So this is what it feels like to sit at the head table? I always wondered how it would feel if I ever decided to come back and teach," Hermione said, a small smile on her face.

"Feels weird if you ask me," Ron said. Harry let out a laugh.

"I felt the same as you, Ron, when I first sat up here. Definitely not somewhere I ever truly thought I would end up. How are things going at the shop? I've heard you have a few new products coming out soon."

"Things are going great. We are moving fast and I've really seemed to help George out. He's a genius, but I've started to notice more of the little things. He's put in charge of the marketing aspect. He still enjoys using me as a guinea pig though," Ron said excitedly. Harry knew that was the perfect fit for him. After years of trying to fit in and find his own spot in his family he had done just that with the help of his brother.

"How about with you, Hermione? How is the Ministry?" Harry asked.

"Oh, things are hectic. We are working on werewolf laws right now; attempting to make it easier for werewolves in society. Unfortunately my team is relying heavily on the Wizengamot for final approval, which is slowing things down immensely, but if everything goes through then it will be easier for werewolves to find work and make a life for themselves without being discriminated against," she said and Harry couldn't help but smile. Hermione had always had a place for things that were mistreated. He was glad that she had found her place in this world. He just wished Remus were here to see the future changes.

"What about with you? Things seem to be going well for you. Ginny writes all the time about your classes," Ron said shoving a dinner roll into his mouth.

Harry froze. How much did Ron know about Ginny and her latest delusion? Did Ron know about her plan for this afternoon or was she acting alone? "I… yeah… classes are different. I never realized how much homework there was for teachers, but the classes themselves are great."

Hermione looked at him questioningly but he ignored her, his attention turning to the man in black who was taking his place.

"Professor Snape," Hermione greeted excitedly. "It is good to see you!"

"Likewise, Ms. Granger," he responded, his voice low and smooth as silk. Harry shivered.

"There is so much I wanted to talk to you about! There is a rumor that you are experimenting with a new version of the Wolfsbane potion. You are trying to find a version that would prevent the human from transforming at all?" she questioned eagerly. He nodded causing Harry to laugh. He was sure that Severus would kill him later for allowing the former resident bookworm of Hogwarts to sit beside him.

Ron began talking about Quidditch, asking Harry if he knew how the Gryffindor team was going to be this year and if he was following the club league. And so the night wore on with the respective conversations, Neville coming over to talk at some point about his new breed of flower and to check in with his former housemates. Harry couldn't be happier and his mind couldn't be further from the horrors of the day.

* * *

Severus sat and answered all of Granger's questions, explaining his processes and trials. He had to admit the dinner conversation had been rather enjoyable. It wasn't often anymore that he was questioned thoroughly on one of his experiments. She had gone on to explain how she was working on providing equal rights for werewolves and just how much a potion of the like would help. Every so often he had caught Harry smiling in his direction, leaving a warm sensation in the pit of the older man's stomach.

His conversation had ended with the appearance of Longbottom on their end of the table, explaining his new plant. Granger had seemed enthralled with the idea of a new plant and began questioning if he had tested the properties yet or if it had any powers at all. The boy had explained how he was still in process of testing the plant but so far it resembled a mix of Knotgrass and Devil's Snare. Severus had even offered to take a look at it for its usefulness in potions, though he doubted the plant had any. Longbottom had been thrilled.

Now, the man could be found in his chambers, sipping on another glass of Firewhiskey, intent on finishing the bottle. His thoughts continued to swirl around the brat, imagining different scenarios in which the young man was his. If he had any sense in his head he would stop his imagination before things became serious, but he was too far gone to stop. Thoughts of the young man kissing him, his tongue swirling around his mouth tasting him swirled through his brain, causing his cock to twitch and harden painfully. He imagined Harry beneath him, his muscular figure flexing, moving to rub against the older man. With a wave of his hand he unbuttoned his pants and shoved a hand into his boxers, grasping himself firmly, roughly rubbing up and down the length of himself, imagining it was Harry's hand.

A knock at the door startled him from his thoughts and he quickly straightened himself, another wave of his hand causing his penis to go flaccid. Striding to the door he took a steadying breath, calming his racing heart and clearing his flushed face he hoped. He opened the door, amazed to find both Harry and Teddy standing there. "Come in," he said softly, moving aside so the pair could enter.

"Sorry, but Teddy was fussy. I thought taking him on rounds with me might calm him down, but he kept pointing at your door and crying until I knocked," the young man said, offering a small half smile.

"Mmmm" the high pitched voice of the toddler cried, giggling.

Severus's eyes widened in disbelief. Never before had any child, particularly one this young, grown attached to him. He did note that Harry's expression was very similar. A new thought popped into his head. How was he supposed to greet the cub? He was not a friendly man, especially where small children were concerned. The boy stared at him expectantly, even holding his arms out to him to be held.

"Hello, cub," he finally settled on, earning a huge smile from the drooling baby.

The child began squirming in Harry's arms harder, trying to reach the man. Now he was truly baffled. He had less experience than the young man when it came to children. He had never been exposed to children under the age of eleven, with the exception of Draco. He had never been allowed to hold Draco; Lucius had his house elves for that.

Moving closer to Harry and Teddy he opened his arms, allowing the squirming child into them. Immediately he settled in the gentle embrace and he couldn't help but smile. In previous interactions with the young child he was lucky if the boy even looked at him, preferring to stay firmly in Harry's arms. Though he had no idea what brought on the change he had to admit he liked it.

Harry's chuckle brought Severus from his thoughts. "It seems he likes you," he said still smiling.

"Indeed."

"Come on, Teddy, we have rounds to do," Harry said and reached for the child when an ear shattering cry pierced the room. Severus blanched. He didn't want the child to throw a fit, but he also didn't want to be left alone with the boy. As if sensing his trepidation Harry gently eased the child and softly shushed the small boy, offering quiet words of comfort.

The crying eased and Severus let out a small smile. He had never witnessed someone so young expertly handle a child of that age, but clearly Harry was managing well enough.

"He will be asleep by 10:30 if you would like to come over for tea. I will instruct Merlin to let you in," Harry whispered and the man nodded, watching the pair exit. As he made his way to his private lab he couldn't help the feelings of happiness and excitement running through him.

* * *

Harry placed the sleepy and very cranky Ted Lupin in his crib. He had finished his rounds quickly, bathed the child and gotten him ready for bed. Tea was being prepared in the other room, but right now his focus was still with the child. His copy of _The Tale of Beedle the Bard_ was open on his lap to "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot". Reading softly he continually glanced at Teddy, watching the boy drift to sleep with each word. As he neared the end of the short story, he felt someone watching from the doorway. Jerking his head he saw Severus standing in the doorway, a soft expression on his face. Quietly he stood, setting the book on the stool he had been seated on. He exited the room, his final touches of a monitoring charm and a silencing spell added before he closed the door.

He found Severus in the arm chair, the tray with the tea supplies on the coffee table. "Hi," he greeted, feeling slightly dumb for being caught reading to an already asleep child.

Severus inclined his head. "The young cub is lucky to have you in his life. You seem to handle the responsibilities well."

"Thank you…" Harry replied sounding more confused than sincere. "He means a lot to me. He's the start of the family I've always wanted," he added.

"Indeed."

The two men sat in silence taking sips of their respective tea. Harry knew that he shouldn't be embarrassed that Severus witnessed such an intimate moment. However, at the moment, that was all he was feeling. After several long minutes of silence, the young man couldn't take it anymore.

"Is it true you are trying to improve the Wolfsbane potion?"

"Yes, though it is not coming along as well as I had hoped."

"Well if anyone is going to be able to figure it out it will be you," Harry stated, blushing furiously when his brain caught up with his mouth. Severus merely nodded before downing the rest of his cup.

"I have been stuck with the early shift of patrols so I had best be off," the older man said, rising from his chair. Harry followed suit, walking him to the door. As Severus turned to say goodbye Harry closed the distance between them, pressing his lips gently against the soft lips of the Potions Master. The feeling was everything he had dreamed of and more. Then Severus was kissing back, deepening the kiss, thrusting his hands through Harry's hair. Everything seemed to stand still in that moment until the cries of Teddy through the monitor charms interrupted them. Severus muttered a hasty goodbye and tore from the room, leaving a confused but happy Defense professor behind.


	11. The Greater Fool

Disclaimer: I still own nothing.

Chapter Ten: The Greater Fool

Harry awoke with the sun on Saturday morning an inherent happiness seeping through every fiber of his being. His dreams had been centered around the snarky professor whose voice was so silky smooth it sent shivers down his spine. After stretching he moved on silent feet to the small kitchen to begin preparing breakfast for the two. He had discovered that attempting to wake Teddy for breakfast in the Great Hall usually ended in a fit and food being flung across the Hall.

Scrambling the eggs a smile crept on his face. There was nothing better than preparing a meal for the family you loved. The smell of eggs, toast and coffee woke Teddy, the monitoring charm going off. Harry set the table for himself, preparing a bottle for the young cub, and went to the room, immediately greeted by a laughing, bouncing baby boy.

"Hey, little man," he said pulling Teddy from the crib. He changed him and dressed him in a pair of khaki shorts and a maroon shirt with a gold lion on it. Setting him in his lap, cradling the back of his head, Harry began multi-taskin, feeding the baby with one hand and spooning eggs into his own mouth with the other. A soft knock on the door interrupted his breakfast and he frowned slightly. This was probably the worst possible time for a visitor. Clumisly standing with Teddy still feeding he opened the door slightly and peered out into the hallway, surprised to find Draco there.

"Can we talk?" he asked, looking around anxiously.

"Of course," said Harry, moving out of the way. "What brings you here?"

"McGonagall originally. She thinks I should apprentice under Binns to replace him next year. I owled her to see if there would be any openings a while ago. Turns out I'm not a fan of the family business," he responded taking the only empty seat at the table.

"Understandable. Can I offer you something to eat or drink?"

"No thanks. I stopped in the Great Hall on the way down here. I forgot how great the food is. That is something else I am excited to be here for," Draco said, a smile on his face.

Harry nodded. He completely understood that. It had been one of his first thoughts when asked if he wanted the position.

"That is not all that is going on," Draco said, looking extremely uncomfortable.

Harry became concerned. "What is it, Draco?"

Draco hesitated, staring down at his hands. "My father is pushing me to marry. He has arranged a marriage for me with Pansy Parkinson," he mumbled.

Though the blonde had barely uttered it Harry caught every word. He was stunned. Teddy let out a small giggle as the empty bottle hit the floor but neither man noticed.

"He believes that a wedding, followed by offspring, are just the thing to reestablish the Malfoy name. I haven't told Severus yet, but I have to figure a way out of this," he said, his head falling into his hands. Draco stayed that way for several minutes, Harry resting a hand lightly on his back. Finally he admitted, "I don't love her."

"That sounds like you love someone else…"

Draco looked up. "Love is a very strong word. I am not sure that I have ever truly been exposed to what love is."

"How is your father managing to arrange this from his cell?"

"He has been using his visiting hours to meet with her father. He signed a marriage contract last week. I found out the next day and have been dissecting it ever since. From what I have seen there are only a handful of ways out. I am scared he has won."

Harry sighed. Lucius was a tricky man to compete with, but he had outsmarted him before by the very man his son had sought help from. "Any of them a true possibility?"

"How much do you know about traditional relationships involving purebloods?"

At that moment Teddy began to cry, obviously wanting some of the attention. Gingerly Harry readjusted the small child into his arms, settling him down again. "Honestly not much. I assumed they were like other relationships, just a bit more formal. You never seemed overly outdated when you were around Pansy in school."

"When in school is the key there. I can only nullify this three ways: disgrace my family honor, disown myself from the Malfoy line, or have sex with someone else, making myself no longer pure. Pansy has another option added: an unwillingness to honor the contract. If she truly detested me, she can leave. Unfortunately, the family money is enough to entice her."

"Why is sex an option out for you? I had always heard it was common to take a mistress in arranged marriages," Harry stated.

"That is true but only after you have officially been married. Sex is different in the wizarding world because of magic itself. It is so engrained into our very souls that to share such an intimate act with another connects them together forever. It is why most wizards are still virgins upon graduation. They will go up to the very line of penetration, but usually won't cross that line until they are sure," the blonde explained, causing Harry to frown suddenly.

"Why do they not tell us this in school? I had no idea sex was that serious here. In the muggle world it is a joke."

Draco shrugged. "Most people already know. The true muggleborns are told when they have their meeting with one of the staff members. Since Hagrid was the one sent to get you, I am sure this was overlooked. No one thought to inform you because, even though you were raised by muggles, you still are a halfblood.

"By taking the apprenticeship I can delay until the summer, but then I will have to go through with it," Draco finished lamely. Harry was shocked. It all sounded barbaric.

"I am assuming you would prefer to keep your family honor and place?" Harry led the question, making it more of a statement. The blonde nodded. "Well I suppose the next question is, is there anyone you are interested in? Maybe someone you like enough to see a potential future with them?"

Draco hesitated. "That was two questions," he finally stated. Harry sighed.

"You didn't answer the question."

"You have to promise not to laugh or tell me how stupid it is."

"Draco, I promise. Now who?" Harry pried.

"I have always been drawn to Ginerva Weasley."

* * *

Severus awoke on his couch, the muted sunlight streaming on his face. Slowly he sat up, his head throbbing with every movement, and surveyed the room. On his coffee table was an empty glass and not far from it on the floor was an empty Firewhiskey bottle. At least that explained the headache. Making his way to the bathroom cabinet he downed the hangover potion and stepped into the shower, his thoughts on the kiss they had shared.

They needed to talk. The kiss had been more than the Potions Master could ever have hoped for, but what did it mean? He wasn't the type of man to have one night stands, though there was a time when the opposite applied. He was man enough to admit to a time in his past when Lucius and he would go and pay for whores. Occasionally they still went, though Severus preferred to sit and wait for his friend, nursing a drink at the bar downstairs.

He had realized that he tended to be a very jealous and possessive man. Would Harry be receptive to that type of relationship? Severus turned the water off and magically dried himself, pulling a towel around his waist to fight off the cold. He viewed himself in the mirror. His pale reflection, uneven hair and too large nose did nothing but increase the questions running through his mind.

Sighing in frustration he headed to his bedroom, dressing in a pair of black trousers and a grey button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Pulling on his standard teaching boots he headed toward the small dining area.

"Dax!" he called and elf appeared bowing. "May I please have a bagel and cream cheese and some coffee?"

"Of courses, sir," the elf disappeared only to return moments later, food and beverage being set out. "Anything else for the Professor of Potions?"

"That will be all." Left alone again his thoughts drifted back to his colleague. Yes, there was no doubt they would have to talk. Or, he could just push him away. It would save him the pain of being rejected. But what if Harry wouldn't reject him? What if he truly did want him? If he didn't talk he might risk losing his opportunity. The black haired man sighed heavily. This was not an easy decision.

A soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts and he silently prayed it wasn't the man in question. Slowly opening the door he found Draco standing there, Harry and Teddy behind him.

"Draco," Severus started, shocked, "come in – all of you. Why are you here?"

It was Harry who spoke. "His father is meddling and he needs help finding a way out. Not to mention McGonagall him as the History of Magic Professor next year."

Draco nodded. "It seems she is tired of Binns boring the students and wants to implement a new face on staff. I have to apprentice for a year because of the parole, but by next fall I will be a full time member of staff.

"My father is not such good news. He seems to think that marrying me off to Parkinson is going to do wonders to restore the family name. He arranged a marriage with only a handful of ways to get out of it. Without losing honor or beseeching the family the name, the only way for me to avoid this is to find another Pureblood and sleep with the girl, dooming myself to marry her," he sighed angrily. "I don't want to marry anyone. I was forced into things during the war. I never thought once it ended and he was in jail I would continue to be forced."

Severus sat in silence. It seemed his talk with Harry would have to wait. "How is he managing this from Azkaban?"

"He is still allowed mail in and out and he has been given some visitation rights. He has been corresponding with Pansy's father by his weekly owl post and using his visitations to have his legal staff draw the paperwork up. I believe that Mr. Parkinson visited his cell to get everything completely straightened out and to sign the contract. Other than that I don't know any of the details aside from what the contract itself reads," Draco explained, a solemn look on his face.

Severus nodded. That would make sense. Even if they were monitoring his owl post they wouldn't think anything of a marriage contract. After all, in Pureblood households it was the father who made all of the arrangements. This would be nothing more than familial duty. Standing, he gracefully walked toward the cabinet and pulled three tumblers down as well as a bottle of Ogden's Firewhiskey. "I feel we all are going to need this before this conversation goes any further." Pouring the glasses he gave one to each of the young men and downed his own in a single drink. This was turning into a long day and it wasn't even lunch.

"So what do you think I should do?" Draco asked timidly.

"It doesn't matter what I think. You are correct – your father did make this an airtight contract. You have two choices: you go along with his wishes and be miserable the rest of your life, or you find someone else to fuck and marry."

Severus noticed Harry's look of shock, Teddy squirming around in his arms, rolling to try and find a comfortable position. Draco merely nodded and turned to the younger man. "I am going to need your help."

Harry nodded, understanding washing over his face. "Of course I will help!"

"What are you two planning?" Severus questioned, the concern evident in his voice.

"It's the only hope I have."

"Whom are you going after?" the more the conversation continued the more Severus desired a drink and the further his talk with Harry slipped from his mind. Things were indeed becoming much more complicated.

Harry and Draco shared a look and Draco sighed. "It is a long shot, but Ginerva Weasley."

"I didn't realize you were into her. How do you plan on assuring her you don't believe your family's views on her family or blood status? Have you thought that part through?" the older man asked, feeling the migraine beginning to form.

Harry shook his head. "I know for a fact she doesn't believe that anymore. They have spent some time together at the weekly dinners over the summer. The only convincing she will need is that she truly doesn't belong with me."

Severus nodded. In truth it was Draco's best option. If he had a chance to marry for love the boy should do anything in his power to. His happiness was more important than upholding his father's outdated beliefs. "If this is what will make you happy, you should go for it. I will help you any way I can."

* * *

The conversation went on for a while after, allowing all three men to catch up. Draco would begin observing on Monday and his first lesson teaching would be the following week. He would only be teaching first through third years for the first month and then would slowly add on the fourth years. He also was responsible for the upper years study sessions. By the time Draco was ready to leave, Teddy was sound asleep in Harry's arms and it was nearing lunch time.

"Thank you, both," Draco said, as he made his way quietly to the door. "I truly appreciate it." Without another word Draco was gone, leaving the two Professors alone.

"I should probably be going as well. It won't be long before Teddy wakes and will want lunch," Harry said awkwardly, looking down at the sleeping child.

Severus only nodded. As the young man made his way to the door he couldn't help but feel the overwhelming to kiss the older man yet again. They would need to talk at some point, but now was not that moment. "Maybe I can come by tomorrow evening and we could have a drink?" he asked as the child in his arms shifted.

"I have a few potions that will need attending to, but it should be fine. I will let you know when I am free." Harry nodded and exited the room, trying to figure out how he was going to spend the rest of the day with the child in his arms.


	12. One Step Too Many

Chapter Eleven: One Step Too Many

Harry paced his rooms during the afternoon hours of Saturday. Hermione had owled him at lunch demanding an explanation for his stuttered response about classes the night before and instead of responding during Teddy's nap as per her request he instead had turned to grading. Unfortunately he was pretty well on top of his grading and had finished the pile of first year essays quickly, leaving him time to think while the boy slept on. He turned again to make another lap allowing a sigh to escape. He was unsure of what to say and how much she already knew and was scared that she would push him as well.

"Harry?" the questioning voice of Severus came from the fireplace. "Are you busy?"

"Not at the moment. The cub is down for his nap and should be out for another hour. Feel free to come through."

Another couple of minutes and Severus came out of the fireplace looking exhausted. "I was hoping we could talk before Teddy woke up," he said a smile playing across his face. Harry nodded, a ball of nerves lodging itself immediately in his stomach.

"Please have a seat. I feel as though I should apologize for jumping you. You were just trying to leave and I forced myself on you."

"I do not feel you forced yourself on me, Harry. If I recall, I kissed you back and I fully recall enjoying it," Severus said, a small smile creeping onto his face.

"Really?" Harry couldn't help the question, a blush rising to his face. It was more than he had hoped for. When Severus nodded he continued. "What now? Where do we go from here?"

It was the longest silence of Harry's life. Severus had openly admitted to enjoying the moment they had shared but now, the decision was about what to do about the knowledge. Preparing himself for the rejection the young man figured was coming, Harry was shocked to hear Severus's opinion. "We are still getting to know one another. I would be willing to take things a day at a time, but I am not ready for any solid commitments. I am just now having time to myself to make my own choices and I am not ready to become tied down. I have feelings for you and would completely understand if you would rather pursue someone without the emotional baggage that I have."

Harry couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. This was more than anything he had ever hoped for. "I completely understand. In all honesty, I don't think I am ready for anything serious yet either. Spending your entire childhood being treated as a slave, a savior, or a target has made me resent commitments. I want some time for myself to discover who I am without the threat of imminent death. That wasn't just an excuse to get rid of Ginny."

He watched Severus nod in understanding. It was obvious that both men had things they needed to work out but it was a promise to each other to try. "I apologize for my rudeness, but can I offer you a drink now? I can get you tea, water, or call for an elf."

"Tea is fine."

As Harry made his way to the kitchen to put the kettle on the monitoring charms alerted him Teddy had finally woken. Knowing the child he would need a diaper change and a bottle. He was shocked when Severus spoke. "You make the tea and I will get the child. I am sure I can figure things out."

"Thank you," Harry responded, smiling and nodding his gratitude. A few moments later Severus and Teddy were seated on the couch with a Muggle children's book and Harry was carrying a tray with tea and fixings and Teddy's bottle of formula. "That is the one thing I have found hardest about this – he requires constant attention and so the only time I have to myself to grade or get chores done is when he's asleep."

"It was no problem," Severus acknowledged, looking down at the tea tray.

Happy coos came from the small child, eagerly reaching up for his bottle. Both men couldn't help but chuckle, Severus reaching over to provide the boy with his request.

As they all drank in silence Harry couldn't but smile. This was truly what happiness was. Severus was just opening his mouth to say something when Teddy burped loudly, threw his bottle to the floor and began squirm.

Harry chuckled. He should have known that the boy would not stay still for long. Severus sighed, looking slightly overwhelmed with the wide awake child, causing Harry to chuckle more.

Severus glared over to Harry who quickly came to the rescue, picking up the small child and placing him on a blanket on the floor with a few soft toys. Immediately the cub sat up and began chewing on one, making happy cooing noises all the while. Harry watched at the older man placed some barrier charms so the child was trapped in the living room, but could scoot around as he please.

"You know, you aren't as bad with children as you think," Harry began, turning to look at the older man. Severus just shook his head.

"I will admit the cub is cute and quiet. One day he will grow and become less quiet and we will see how I do with him then. And if he is anything like his parents he will become the clumsiest trouble maker this school has ever seen," Severus said. He quickly added, "That goes double for your influence over him."

Harry laughed. "Yes, I suppose I will have to give you that one. With the upbringing he is getting I am sure he will become a trouble maker. I only hope it is not for the same reasons I became one."

Severus nodded and they both fell into a comfortable silence, watching the small child play with his things.

* * *

Severus lost himself in his thoughts, thinking about what it would be like to become more of a constant in the boy's life. If he were to start a relationship with Harry that would certainly become a reality. Could he handle the child? Would Teddy continue to like him as he got older?

"Would you like to eat dinner here?" Harry's voice startled him. "It's nearly supper time now. It may be easier to eat down here and then Teddy and I can do our rounds."

"I would like that."

The older man was startled to see the excited face of Teddy staring him down. His hair had changed from the sandy brown it was earlier to a neon green that clashed with the maroon shirt Harry had put him in. A small chuckle escaped the Potion Professor's mouth at the sight. He watched as slowly the boy dragged himself toward the couch, army crawling and scooting most of the way.

Severus bent down and picked the small child up, noticing how the boy snuggled into his chest.

Dinner went smoothly with Ted eating the pureed vegetable he was to be eating that night before his bottle. The house elves had provided an exquisite dinner of steaks and potatoes for the two adults. A Cabernet Sauvignon was served to the adults while the little tike had his bottle waiting. The conversation flowed as easily as the wine did and soon even Severus found himself in a light hearted spirit. Since the summers spent with Lily he had never been this relaxed or jovial and it was a pleasant change.

"I must pause this and go for my rounds. Come on, Teddy!" Harry said lightly, a huge smile on his face as he removed the child from his high chair.

As the child began to cry, giant tears streaming from his eyes Severus couldn't help but cringe a bit. Harry would be useless out there with Teddy in the state he was in. "Why don't you go do your rounds? I am sure I can manage to bathe him and get him ready for bed while you are gone."

Harry looked unsure until the crying escalated to a very loud wail. "Alright but if you need anything don't hesitate to send your patronus. All of his bath stuff is in his room. Just make sure he has the little yellow duck and he will behave in the tub."

Severus nodded, taking the obviously tired young man into his arms. "I am sure it will be fine." Harry nodded and left the room quickly, the last promise of his quick return becoming muffled by the door.

Things went much smoother for Severus than he expected. Ted played with several bath toys including the yellow squeaking duck made of rubber while Severus lathered him up with soap. The rinse off took the most time. Getting the child to hold still long enough to dress and brush out his now long black hair was a different story. Teddy smiled happily up at him through the whole ordeal.

As he was tucking the child into the crib he noticed a stool with _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_ sitting on it. Assuming that Harry read to the cub before letting him drift off on his own he quickly picked the book up took a seat on the chair. Clearing his throat he began to read…

"There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure.

"And Death spoke to them.

"He was angry that he had been cheated out of the three new victims, for travelers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.

"So the older brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother."

Severus paused and looked down at the wide-eyed child for a moment, smiling briefly to him before continuing. "Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.

"And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility.

"Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way, and they did so talking with wonder of the adventure they had had and admiring Death's gifts. In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination.

"The first brother traveled on for a week more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible.

"That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden upon his bed. The thief took the wand and for good measure, slit the oldest brother's throat.

"And so Death took the first brother for his own," again he paused to look at the boy in the crib. His eyes were growing heavy, though they still held the same look of wonderment as before.

"Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him.

"Yet she was sad and cold, separated from his as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as to truly join her.

"And so Death took the second brother for his own.

"But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life," he finished, noticing the boy had drifted off to sleep. Silently he rose, replaced the book on the shelf and exited the room, a warm feeling in his heart.

* * *

Harry had returned from his rounds to find Severus tucking Teddy into his bed, a book open in his lap. After having to deduct thirty points from two Ravenclaws he allowed a smile to cross his face at the sight. As he read, Harry couldn't help but listen from the doorway, the voice reading the words sounded as smooth as silk. It was nice to know that he would have help. Eventually if they did start a relationship, he wouldn't have to try and win the boy over to the idea and it appeared Severus could manage caring for the child on his own.

It was an amazing thing really. He had never seen the warm, loving side the man seemed to have as a student. Hell, Harry had always assumed the man hated everything about children. Now, he was beginning to understand just how much of his past experiences were an act of necessity. Had this side of Severus been discovered he would have been killed by Voldemort, but not before suffering many hours of torture at the madman's hands. All of the times the man had told him how worthless he was, part was an act and part was to make him strong enough to face down the most evil man in the history of the wizarding world. Now he was finally free. They both were.

As the story came to a close, Harry made his way on silent feet to the kitchen to prepare a couple glasses of Oban 14 Year Single Malt Scotch to go with the cigars he had received as a welcoming gift. Taking the tea tray, now fixed with two cigars, two rocks glasses, matches, and an ash tray, to the small coffee table in the living room he watched Severus take his normal seat and smiled. It was a great feeling to know that the man had a usual seat in his living area.

"I thought we could share a glass of scotch and a cigar. I was gifted both when I joined the staff here and have never found a use for them," Harry said, nodding toward the tray.

Severus nodded and took a glass off the tray, taking a sniff before a small sip. "Oban Single Malt – a fine choice to go with the Tabak Negro. Tell me, have you ever had scotch before?"

Harry shook his head. He could feel the blush slowly rising up his body and coloring his cheeks. It was not something he had ever had time for or found a need to indulge in. Besides, he had no idea the proper way to smoke a cigar or drink scotch. He wouldn't have figured the scotch out for tonight if he hadn't stopped to ask Minerva on his way back from rounds.

"Have you smoked a cigar before?"

"No. It hasn't exactly been high on my priority list. I was always trying to stay alive and then we had the rebuild and then I jumped right into teaching," Harry offered shyly, staring down at the floor.

Severus was silent for several moments and Harry could feel the heat of embarrassment rising throughout him. "Well, you are in for a treat tonight then. Did these come with an instrument that looks like a guillotine for fingers?"

Harry smiled and nodded, making his way to the liquor cabinet he had acquired. "You mean this?" In his hand was the small black object.

"That is known as a cutter. It will make a straight cut. You can buy various types of these; some will cut in a v shape and others will just poke a hole in the top. It depends on personal preference and the cigar which one you use, but the straight cut is acceptable on them all. These are good cigars to start with. They have hints of chocolate and coffee in them along with the tobacco," Severus explained taking both cigars. He stuck one in his mouth to moisten the end and then cut it, handing it to Harry. He did the same with his own. Taking a match he lit the end of his own cigar, inhaling until the entire end was lit. He exhaled and out came a dark cloud of billowing smoke. Severus then passed the matches to Harry, who did the same.

"Don't smoke it too quickly. These are meant to be enjoyed," the older man advised. "Also, don't breathe it into your lungs. It is a fast inhale/exhale process."

Harry nodded, matching the smoke flow. He picked up his glass and took a sip, enjoying the mix of the taste of the drink with the taste of the cigar. How had he not known about the luxury of a cigar and glass of scotch. "Thank you for teaching me this. It is amazing."

Severus inclined his head. They sat in silence for a long while, merely enjoying each other's company and the relaxation of the cigars. Finally Severus spoke. "I want to thank you for allowing me time with Ted. I wouldn't expect you to give up time with your Godson."

"It was my pleasure to get to watch you read to him. I never thought I would ever see you interact with a child the way you did today. You always carry yourself much differently when dealing with the students, but I suppose that is because they are students. Anyways, anytime you want to babysit I would be willing to let you. Teddy adores you. I don't know when it happened exactly, but there was a day when he stopped being shy and started begging to get to see you."

Again Severus nodded. "I find that my stern nature in the classroom and around the students prevents serious accidents from happening. I never enjoyed belittling you or your friends, but my life was dictated by a madman. There were too many in the classroom whose fathers' would have done anything to gain his favor, including selling me out. My position was far too valuable to coddle you."

It was Harry's turn to nod his head. He figured that was the best apology he was going to receive from the man. It wasn't like him to offer explanations let alone true apologies. "I hated it when I was younger. I truly thought because you were so brutal that you were the one who was always trying to kill me. I look back upon those days and can't help but laugh now. My first year I thought you were the one trying to steal the Sorcerer's Stone. It was stupid, I know, but I truly thought you were either trying to kill or kill me and steal the stone. When I ran head first into the fire, I truly thought I was going to be staring down you, not Quirrell.

"Over the years, your treatment of myself and my friends became more annoying than anything and I let my temper get the best of me time and time again. I wanted to kill you after Dumbledore – did everything in my power to kill you. I now look back and realize you were doing everything in your power to prepare me for battle while staying alive. You provided crucial information and still you always managed to save my life," Harry rambled, taking a long puff of the cigar.

"I can understand why you thought I was trying to kill you. I have to admit I was more critical of you because of my past with your father. No matter how many times Dumbledore or Minerva told me to back off, I felt I had a personal vendetta to settle. If I had stopped and paid more attention to you and not just to your looks, I would have seen much more. You are so much like both of your parents, better in a lot of ways. You do things out of a sense of what is right, not what is easy. That is not something I could say of myself.

"I had a horrible childhood and as such I became bitter. Your father and his friends seemed to have life so easy and yet they still managed to make mine worse. You are the opposite. You had a horrible childhood and yet you strive to rise above it. Everyday. Maturity has done wonders for you as well. You no longer have the temper you possessed in you schooling years, though that could easily have been nothing more than Voldemort in your head. You strive to find the goodness in everyone. Hell, you tried to talk down Voldemort where most people would have shot the Killing Curse at him and been done with it," Severus stated matter of factly, causing the young man to blush furiously.

Again silence filled the room, the only sounds were those of the glasses being picked up and set down again. Harry could truly see the appeal of sitting back and enjoying this on a regular basis. In its own way it was relaxing, almost therapeutic - the steady inhale and exhale, smoke billowing into the room, and the occasional sip of the scotch. Severus finished his first, opting to continue the silence and relaxation while Harry finished his. Then he was standing and both men made their way to the door.

"I will see you tomorrow," Severus said with a smile. Harry took the opportunity to lean up and place a light kiss on the older man's lips. He was pleased when the man responded, deepening the kiss lightly before pulling back.

"Goodnight, Severus," Harry stated, opening the door.

"Goodnight."


	13. Falling Slowly

Chapter Twelve: Falling Slowly

The weeks passed quickly, leading up to the Christmas holidays. Harry had less and less free time. He had begun two separate study groups; one for his fifth years and one for his seventh years to prepare for their upcoming exams. Several of his seventh year Ravenclaw's had come up with the idea when they began to realize how underprepared they were. He could only agree, but it meant that his time with Severus was severely reduced.

The pair had begun doing rounds together to try and find some time. They had become fearsome on their shifts, taking points and assigning detentions on anyone that came across their path. Most nights they would finish with a cup of tea in Harry's chambers, chatting about the past day or catching up on grading. Some nights they skipped the tea all together, preferring to spend the time talking or better yet, kissing. They were taking things slow and as such, hadn't progressed past kissing. However, Harry found that he was perfectly okay with that. Things had finally fallen into place for the young man – he had found where he belonged. However, some things were still the same.

Ginerva Weasley was still a problem, casting longing looks his way anytime she was in his presence. There were others whom had joined her ranks – fifth and sixth years who giggled in his presence; seventh years who conspicuously informed him of when they came of age. Who knew being young and famous in a school would make you a popular target for women. He was also beginning to have some problems with the older Slytherin's. They began to whisper in the hallways, refused to do assignments, and some had even taken it so far as to not show up for class all together. He had discussed it over with Severus and the Headmaster and neither had a solid solution other than continue docking points and assigning detentions. Harry shook his head. Something wasn't right about all of this and he would be damned if he didn't figure it out.

Currently, he was seated at the desk in his office, his door slightly cracked open during his office hours. He was grading the third year essays on Boggarts and couldn't help but shake his head. Most of the essays were a piss poor attempt at explaining what the individual thought they would see if confronted by a Boggart rather than what a Boggart really does. He sighed, marking another essay Troll. He was sure he had explained them better than this, even if they hadn't done the reading. He had been shocked when he had had to catch all the second through seventh years up during the first month of classes. By now he was supposed to have them all caught up and productively learning. It even went as far as he had gotten wind of a Boggart in the cupboard of an unused classroom on the fourth floor. Now, he was going to have to reteach the lesson.

Things didn't end there. Every year, excepting the first years, was the same way. He had to reteach his students everything. He blamed it on the inability to maintain a steady Professor, but from their first assignment he thought them better than this. Because of Hermione, he had become better prepared. Well, that and the D.A. Some of these students had been involved or around both of those things and they were the ones who showed the most promise in the subject. He was just shocked.

A knock on the door interrupted his train of thought and he sighed, shoving the essays aside, and called, "Come in!"

Luna Lovegood made her way airily into the room. "Good evening, Professor."

"Miss Lovegood," he acknowledged. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Oh, nothing is a problem. The Nargles told me to stop in. They were swarming around the door."

Harry shook his head. There were times Luna was downright strange, but if he was honest with himself he was glad for the company. "Well, I appreciate it. Are you sure there isn't anything I can help you with? You know the study group is starting tomorrow night for seventh years?"

Luna nodded. "I remember. I plan to attend it. It is disappointing the lack of professional teachers we have had. You are the best we have had since Professor Lupin."

Harry couldn't help the smile. It wasn't often he was paid a compliment by his students, most upset with the amount he was assigning. It always seemed to cheer him up.

"Anyways," Luna said interrupting his thoughts. "I just wanted to stop. I am sorry for how Ginny has been behaving."

Harry was shocked. Had Ginny discussed her plans with Luna? Was this some new plan of attack on the girl's part? "Er…I'm sorry?"

"The Nargles told me she was trying to make you love her. You don't, do you, love her?"

Harry shook his head. He had been warned about being overly friendly with the students he had come to look at like family, but with Luna there was no escaping it. She knew far more than most gave her credit for and could infer the rest. Her mind was definitely original and yet, somehow she knew things that he didn't even think were public knowledge.

"I think she is just lonely. The war changed her and everyone always said it would be you and her. I think she thinks if she can gain your interest her life will return to normal. I don't believe that though. I can tell you love someone else."

Harry paled. She couldn't possibly know that. Hell, Harry himself didn't know that. They were still just beginning to feel things out – becoming friends. It was true he cared for the older man, but love. "Luna," he said quietly, "I love a lot of people like friends, but actually being in love with someone, that is not something I am ready for. There is no one I am truly interested in."

"Of course. They said you wouldn't be ready to admit it, but that you and whoever it is you are interested in are both in love with one another," Luna said, rising from the chair she had seated herself in. "I better go. You are about to have another visitor." And with that the seventh year took off, making sure to leave the door partially opened behind her.

'That was just too weird,' Harry thought to himself, pulling the essays back out. "Wait, did she say Severus loved me too?' There was no way that could be right. Harry wasn't even sure the man could love after so many years of having every love scorned. He had stayed alive throughout his years as a spy because of his ability to keep people at a distance and completely close himself off. There was no way Severus loved him. He had even told him such when they were first beginning to become close. Harry shook his head. No, it wasn't possible.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts and he called for them to come in, not even bothering to hide the essays. "Harry," the familiar voice of Ron Weasley said.

A smile immediately came across Harry's face. "Ron!" he said excitedly. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I wish I could say it was under better circumstances, but I am here because I caught wind of something through Hermione the Ministry is trying to hush up. Mind you, she would be here herself, but she has had to work overtime. It seems several Death Eaters have escaped from Azkaban. I know you are not interested in hunting them back down, but I figured you might want to know."

Harry sighed. "Who escaped?"

"Nott, Avery, Crabbe, Travers, Macnair, and Rowle. The Ministry believe they know why they escaped but Hermione's tasked with trying to decipher the hierarchy of them all. Don't suppose Snape would know, do you?"

Harry stopped. There were only three options to choose from out of that crowd from his own limited knowledge. Travers was too stupid to lead a full fledge break out, not to mention too low ranking. Macnair and Rowle were the same way. No, this would have to be one of the inner circle members. He couldn't see Crabbe leading the breakout either. He was only mildly smarter than his son, but that was not saying a whole lot. "My best guess would either be Nott or Avery. They are the only two in the inner circle that would have the brains to lead something like this." He paused while Ron nodded and wrote it down on one of the Ministry pads that sported Hermione's last name. "You said you knew why they had broken out?"

"Rowle had begun to lose his mind. He began to pace his cell, muttering to himself, and that was how they began to piece things together. Harry, maybe it's best if you don't know more."

"They are after me," Harry sighed. Just once he wanted to have a normal life. Now that he had finally felt like he had that option, here danger was again trying to ruin it. "Look, mate, you should be fine here, but you needed to know," Ron offered weakly.

"I know. I'm not upset, just frustrated. I finally thought I could have a normal life – no more danger, no more madmen trying to kill me," Harry said, looking down at his desk. "My office hours are officially over if you would like to join me for a drink. I fear we have much more to discuss."

Ron nodded and allowed Harry to stand, following him to his chambers in the dungeons in silence. When they entered the rooms Harry motioned to the couch and moved to the small kitchen to put on a pot of tea. "Are you hungry?" Harry asked.

"I could use dinner. You know how I love the food here and with Hermione working nonstop it has just been me eating at our house," the redhead responded, a huge smile on his face. Harry laughed and shook his head. Leave it to Ron to make everything feel normal, even when everything was far from it. "How is my sister doing? I mean, I know what she writes to me and I know what she sends home to Mum and Dad, but I have this feeling like something else is going on."

Harry froze. At least now he knew his best friend was in the dark about what all was happening with his little sister. However, this was not the time he wanted to get into this. They had more pressing matters to discuss. He made a quick decision to skim over the topic and get back to the subject of the Death Eaters. "From what I can tell she is doing fine," he said shortly.

Ron just looked at him. "I know you better than that, Harry. What is going on with my sister?"

Harry sighed. With Ron's job and maturity he had become far wiser than when they were kids. His temper tantrums had ended and he continued to prove a solid match for Hermione's intellect. It was shocking really to look at the change between the man seated on his couch and the boy from his schooling days. "She is under the delusion that she and I are destined to be together and before you say anything please, just let me finish." Ron nodded though the shocked look was a little disconcerting.

"I have done everything in my power to dissuade her. The last attempt she tried I was forced to dock points from Gryffindor and assign two weeks of detention."

Ron shook his head. "I knew she was lonely. Mum went on and on all summer that you and she were destined to be together and to just give you time. It got to the point where Hermione and I had to sit down with her and have a talk about your preference. I know you wanted to have the talk yourself, but she really was leaving us with little other choice.

"Ginny took Fred's death hard – almost as hard as George. With Mum going on and on this summer I am not surprised she tried something like this. Why didn't you say something sooner?"

Harry shrugged. "She is your sister. I didn't want to make anything harder on you with the new job, especially with you working so closely to your family. Besides, I am not sure you would be able to do anything about it. You said it yourself, your Mum helped put these ideas into her head and now she is taking her loneliness and putting it into action. It is not uncommon. Now, what are we going to do about these escaped Death Eaters?"

Ron shrugged. "I suppose we aren't supposed to do anything. The Aurors are going to track them. From there they will determine what to do, whether they lock them back up or have the Dementor's Kiss preformed."

"Do you think we should call together the Order?"

Again Ron shrugged. "If we do, who would be in charge? Would it be Minerva or would it be Snape?"

It was Harry's turn to shrug. "I don't know. Severus was far more instrumental in bringing down Voldemort, but I doubt he would want to be in charge of the whole shebang. Leadership never seemed to be something he was truly interested in. I suppose we could ask him."

At that moment the flames flared green and out stepped the man in question. "Harry?"

"I'm just preparing the tea, Severus. What is going on?"

"When you missed our usual tea time I figured something had happened again. Behold my shock to find Mr. Weasley on your couch and you in the kitchen preparing tea. I should have known."

Ron shot Harry a questioning look before looking back to the clearly enraged Potions Master. "Sir, there has had a breakout at Azkaban. I was merely informing Harry he was the target and that they Ministry were looking for some information. Hermione sent me, really. Unfortunately, I was brainstorming with Harry on the hierarchy of those escaped to try and help bring her home sometime this week."

Harry nodded, bringing the usual tray over to the table, this time set for three. He could tell Severus was much more relaxed after the redhead's explanation. Hopefully they would all be able to move forward from here and come up with a solution.

* * *

Severus stared at the redhead, his rage subsiding as the man calmly explained. He noticed Harry bring out the tea and settled himself into his usual spot, prepared to help the boys in any way possible. He didn't like the idea of Harry being a target again. After years of being the target of a madman, the young man had finally managed to find some normalcy; he would be damned if that was taken. He shook himself lightly, scaring himself with the intensity of his thoughts.

"Which Death Eaters escaped?" he questioned. It wasn't exactly a secret he would be able to give Weasley a better understanding of the dynamic of the group.

"Avery, Crabbe, Macnair, Nott, Rowle and Travers," Harry informed him, going in alphabetical order to keep the group straight. Severus nodded. That group sounded about right as most in the group were also the ones who lost the most. "I assumed Nott or Avery were the most likely to be in charge."

"Nott would be the one leading this. He was the highest ranking member out of the group. Any word on what they are after? They wouldn't break out just to attempt to kill Harry. That would be their secondary goal… unless…" Severus paused, cursing himself for his momentary stupidity. "Bloody hell, they are after Harry to gain control of the Elder Wand."

Harry and Ron both paled. They thought that would have died with Voldermort, but the Death Eaters had been sent on the goose chases trying to track the wand down. It was not surprising Nott was now after it for himself. It would mean sure victory and a carrying on of the old ways – the ways Voldemort was originally after before going mad. Scenarios began forming in his mind, reminding him of his years as a spy. This was normal for him and within several minutes he had a plan together on how to proceed.

"I put the Elder Wand with Dumbledore. It was supposed to be its final resting place. I don't want it. I mean, most of the people in the hall during the final battle were so busy I didn't think they would truly listen to what I was saying, let alone try and go after the damn thing. Besides, only Hermione, Ron and I knew where we placed it," Harry stated. It was obvious the young man was nervous, but who wouldn't be in his position. He was the target because of some damn invincible wand. This was only mildly better than him being a target just because a madman viewed him as a threat and the rest of the wizarding world was willing to offer a boy up for the slaughter.

"We will need to go and retrieve the wand tonight. You are not safe with it on you, though it is not safe where it is. I suggest we store it in my personal lab. No one other than myself and the Headmistress have access and I have several spaces you could choose from to store it," Severus began, pausing long enough for Harry to nod his acceptance. "I suggest we contact Minerva and fill her in. After that we will decide whether it would be wise to involve the rest of the Order."

Weasley shook his head in what seemed like disbelief and Severus opened his mouth to argue when the redhead spoke. "From my understanding, the word around the Ministry is that these past six months you have been relaxing and so have lost a step, Professor. Clearly they were wrong."

Severus shut his mouth. It was apparent Granger had had a significant influence in maturing the young man, but it would still take some getting used to on the older man's part. He had never particularly cared for the boy. He didn't have Bill's or the twins' marks in his class, though who knew if that was true lack of skill in the subject or laziness. As a student, his maturity also left a lot to be desired and he often enjoyed taking points from the boy for sheer stupidity.

"So should we head up to Minerva's office or call her down here?" Severus glared at Harry and threw a handful of Floo powder into the burning fire to call the Headmistress down.

* * *

Harry sat idly by as Ron and Severus filled in Minerva. He was amazed Ron had become much more efficient, only going through the highlights rather than babbling on as he used to about Quidditch. Severus spoke next, informing her of his thoughts on the matter. Harry didn't do much. His thoughts were on himself. He should have known better than to think he would be granted a peaceful life. After all, he had been marked as a babe for this destiny. Now it was the aftermath, but it still meant he had to be prepared for anything. Minerva's sharp voice broke him from his thoughts.

"Do you think we should notify the Order, Severus?"

Severus stopped and Harry froze. "I am not sure it would help anything. In fact, it may just make things worse. Perhaps, if we just informed a few key people, Kinglsey for example. It would make the situation easier for everyone and protect Potter." 'Potter,' Harry thought, 'when did we go back to last names?' Of course it was because Minerva was in the room. Severus was trying to be professional, but Harry couldn't help the feeling of hurt that washed over him.

Minerva and Ron both agreed, leaving Harry alone with his thoughts. There was no doubt his practical defense skills would be rusty. Even though he was teaching the class, he didn't have to be constantly on guard waiting for someone to try and kill him. He hadn't even been in a duel since the final battle. At the very least he was a good second slower and that second could mean life or death.

"I will need defensive training again," he blurted out. Every eye was on him within seconds.

"The war wasn't that long ago, mate," Ron began, a look of confusion crossing his face. The only thing he really caught was Severus rolling his eyes.

"I haven't been under any threat in close to sixth months. The last battle I was involved in was the Battle of Hogwarts. I haven't even been in a duel. My skills are rusty at best."

Ron looked surprised, but nodded. Of course he would understand that. Harry doubted he had been in battle since the war either. He was now spending his days working with George in a joke shop. Minerva had a proud look in her eye and nodded. Severus, well, Severus looked a mix of pissed and disappointed. "Mr. Potter, I would have thought Moody screaming 'constant vigilance' would have sunk in. You should never allow your skills to relax, as you are claiming they have. That being said, I will personally train you. I have a free night each Wednesday. I will owl you with the details."

Harry blushed and nodded. Minerva let a small tsking sound out, but Severus was gone with a flare of his cloak behind him. The two men left stood and, after acknowledging the Headmistress, made their leave. "Wow, mate," Ron said in a hushed voice when they were out in the hall. "I haven't seen Snape that pissed off since we were students. I thought you two were getting along…"

"So did I," Harry muttered sullenly. "It was good to see you, Ron. I am sure this information will help Hermione."

Ron smiled and nodded. "That reminds me, this Friday would you be willing to come to our place for dinner? Hermione finally has everything set up the way she wants it and you would be our first true guest. I'm amazed she found the time with everything else going on."

"Of course, Ron. Go."

"Alright, mate, but listen – don't let Snape get to you. He cares, I am sure of it. That's why he is frustrated." Ron turned and headed out the front doors. Harry watched him walk out the gates and then disappear into thin air. Sighing he decided to make himself a pot of tea in his chambers and spend the night catching up on his reading.

* * *

Back in his chambers Severus was pacing and cursing himself. He let himself care too deeply about the brat and now he had just done everything in his power to scold him and push him away. He was such an idiot. And now that he had managed to either hurt the young man or piss him off, he was going to be spending every Wednesday evening with him at the least. He was hoping to add in Sunday evenings as well, though that would depend on his and the boy's rounds schedule. This whole thing was just a mess.

If he had the ability to go back and change everything from his past he would gladly do so. The Death Eater's hadn't been a true gain. Instead joining their ranks had cost him more than he was willing to admit. His decisions had been used against him and as such, weakness was not an option. It was now, pacing his chambers, that Severus realized he viewed admitting ones inability to defend one's self as a weakness. He had never been granted that luxury; the ability to just choose to let your guard down. His reaction to Harry had to do with all of this, he feared. But now, how to fix it?

He shook his head. This was the area he was at a loss about. This was foreign, new territory he had never had to discover. He was not a virgin – far from it – but he had never had a relationship in the true sense of the word. The closest to it he had ever come was with Lilly, when he was still a boy trying to figure his own mind out. After that he had sought refuge with the Death Eaters, hoping to gain friendship through their ranks, but that didn't leave much time for dating, especially if you were discovered liking the same sex. He had been to too many revels where men and women alike were punished for being homosexuals. He learned the only time you act on it was when you were hidden in some Muggle bar far away from the wizarding world all together, though that was strictly the Death Eater view. What good were you if you couldn't procreate?

Now Severus found himself dealing with true feelings he had no idea how to handle them. Planting himself at his desk he pulled a parchment of paper and a quill and began to scribble out a letter to the young man. When he finished he called his owl, a black barn owl called Cristobal, and sent the letter off to find Harry. As soon as the bird took off he poured himself a drink and went back to pacing.

* * *

Harry sat on his couch, only half paying attention to the book in his hands, his thoughts on the events of the evening. He wasn't nearly as worried about the Death Eaters after him anymore – not after Severus's behavior. It was uncharacteristic of the man he had come to know over the past several months. He was shocked his words had been harsh, as though he were once again a student preforming poorly in the classroom. Harry was frustrated to say the least. He was not a child, for Christ's sake. He had been forced to grow up far before his time. It was unfair for him to be treated as such by a colleague. As he glanced down, rereading the same line for what seemed like the twentieth time he sighed and shook his head. He wouldn't tolerate it again.

A tap at the door caught his attention, breaking through his thoughts. He rose quickly and threw the heavy wooden door open, inviting the black bird in. As soon as he had taken the letter from his leg, the bird took off again, soaring into the night. Opening the parchment he couldn't help the glare cross his face.

_Dear Harry,_

_I want to apologize for my behavior tonight. I was concerned for your safety and I know I reacted poorly. Please forgive me. I do not want to put undue stress on you before we begin these dueling practices. So, again, let me just say how sorry I am._

_In regards to the lessons themselves, I have already suggested Wednesday night. I would also like to include our off weekend Sundays. The more practice you can have, the better you will be. We will need to work on your stamina as well as physicality. Dueling is much more than just throwing curses back and forth. It will do you no good if you rely heavily on blocking spells either. You must be able to attack as well._

_I believe the Room of Requirements would be best suited for this task – say 8pm. If you find these terms agreeable, I will see you then. If not, please inform me by owl or in person. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow not during our rounds._

_Yours,_

_Severus_

By the end of the letter Harry couldn't hide the grin spread across his face and feeling of excitement for tomorrow evening. With those thoughts in his head, he went to bed, hoping for a good night's sleep.


	14. I Will Follow You into the Dark

Chapter Thirteen: I Will Follow You into the Dark

Tuesday moved slowly for Harry, his classes dragging on for what felt like an eternity. For whatever reason, his morning classes were unfocused and by the time lunch rolled around he was frustrated and annoyed with the student body as a whole. He had already taken thirty house points from all houses and assigned two Hufflepuffs detention for their lack of attention. With the afternoon promising to be just as bad in his class of sixth years he was already wishing it was time for evening rounds. His attention was caught by Severus taking the seat beside him, looking just as worn out as he felt.

"Rough morning?" Harry asked, taking a bite of the salad in front of him. Severus scowled in return, a sign that he had hit the nail on the head.

"I have no idea what has gotten into the students today, but if they don't start paying attention in my classroom they will find themselves in a world of hurt. I have had three already blow up their cauldrons. It is a wonder none of them got hurt."

Harry nodded. He had run across the same issue in his second year class. They were working on basic blocking spells. He had paired them off, one student fired one of three simple spells – expelliarmus, petrificus totalus, or the tarantallegra – while the other student used protego to block. However, none of the students managed to pay attention long enough to throw up a proper shield. He couldn't think of anything else to say so he turned back to his food, sipping his pumpkin juice.

"You look as though your morning was just as bad," Severus said quietly and Harry smiled. He hadn't been expecting the older man to try and continue the conversation.

"It was rough. I had to assign detentions to Hufflepuffs. I didn't think that ever happened," he chuckled.

Severus nodded. "I have had to assign more detentions to Hufflepuffs than any other house and that includes your own. It is crazy, but the saying seems to hold; it is always the quiet ones."

On that Harry did let out a full laugh. "I understand your point. I am only hoping to get through my afternoon classes and that my seventh years in the study group have more focus than their peers."

Severus nodded. "What are you planning on having them do tonight? Most will never have what it takes to become an auror, though I know most in that class want to be just that."

"They are poor on their dueling. I figure tonight might be a dueling club session more than anything. Some have successfully mastered nonverbals, though they are few and far between. I know how they handle in class, but I want to see if for pride they do better. After all, I was piss poor in most classes, but I seemed to hold my own just fine when it came to the actual battles."

"That seems reasonable. May I offer a word of suggestion?" Harry nodded and Severus continued. "Allow them time to scan the library for books on Defensive spells. Give them half an hour to research what spells would be best suited for them. Several of the students have never had the opportunity before."

Harry stopped, obviously thinking over what the older man said. "That seems to make sense. I naturally came to the conclusion that the Disarming Charm was my go to, though I had years of battle practice. Looking back, it was extremely stupid to continue to use that in battle. I am just lucky when it gave me away that the Death Eaters had poor and only hit Hedwig, otherwise Hagrid or myself would have been ended the night of my seventeenth birthday."

Severus nodded, scowling. It was truly a miracle he hadn't gotten himself killed with the use of that spell. He remembered taking hell for it when he had landed, people telling him that if he didn't want to kill them outright to at least have stunned them. They had lost Mad-Eye that night. His expression changed and he noticed Severus watching him intently. It did not do to dwell on the past; it didn't change the outcome and only made him feel guilty. He had been told time and time again by several Order members that they all had known the risks of what they were getting into, but it was about saving the wizarding world and making it a better place to live.

"What are you thinking?" the silky voice beside him asked, his voice taking a gentler tone than was normal.

"The past," said Harry, looking the older man dead in the eye with a look of pure sorrow.

* * *

Severus knew that look, though he wished he didn't. The boy was blaming himself all over again. There had been a point in time when he could remember the boy blaming himself for the death of the Diggory boy and Granger consoling him. Every death that had happened during battle he felt responsible for. "Harry," he whispered in a low enough tone only the young man could hear, "they are not your fault. You didn't ask for this to happen. That is life. That is the price they were willing to pay for their beliefs. You are not at fault."

Harry nodded, toughening himself, though Severus knew better. He wanted nothing more in that moment than to escort the messy haired man to his chambers and comfort him, but that was not an option. Both men had classes to get to and it would not do to be late.

"Come, it is time to head to classes. If you need me, don't hesitate to floo my office. I can drop everything if you need me," Severus said, motioning to the back corridor only open to the Professors. Harry nodded, exiting the hall before the older man.

"I'm fine, Severus," he said as soon as the Potions Master cleared the door.

"Of course you are. Remember what I said, brat," and he pulled the young man in for a quick kiss before turning in a flare of robes, making his way down the hall at a brisk pace, heading for the dungeons without looking back.

He needed to get away from the young man before something else happened and he missed his classes. The feeling of protectiveness was overwhelming and it scared him to his core. He had never felt this way before, especially not about a former student and the former bane of his existence. The brat had made his life hell for years because of Albus, but now that he was allowed to act upon what he had noticed all those years ago it was overwhelming. After years of having to serve two masters, the older man was unsure of how to live with the choices he was making. Was he just looking for someone else to order him around or was he finally allowing himself to make the decisions based upon his own happiness.

These thoughts occupied his trip down to his classroom and as he came to the door, he flung it open bouncing it off the wall, startling the entire class. "Open your books to page 587. I want a detailed parchment on the effectiveness of the potion due at the end of the period. There is to be no talking. Begin." He sat himself at his desk and went back to his thoughts.

Perhaps he should just ask the man out, take him on a real date outside of the castle. There was no use denying he cared deeply for him. He had been forced to for years; it was only natural something would develop like this. Though the thought scared him to his core, he also felt a peace about it. He would always be there to protect Harry just as he always had been. Having the young man in a position where he could keep him close would be helpful. Isn't that what relationships were all about?

But Harry had a say in this as well. What if he rejected the older man? This was unfamiliar territory for Severus. Paying a whore for a quick fuck or participating in one of the revels held for the pleasure of the Dark Lord he could do, but dating was just not something he had any skill in. He had gone from an insecure child who had pushed away the one true friend he had to an insecure adult. The only difference was he had learned how to close himself off and not risk the pain that always followed rejection. Now he was thinking about opening himself up again and that was just not something he was comfortable with. This was simply not something he did.

Looking up briefly at the clock he realized he had spent the entire class lost in his own thoughts. "Bring your essays up and set them on my desk then get out of my sight."

The class moved as one, the scraping of chairs and shuffling of feet filling the classroom with sound. Deciding it wouldn't due to spend another class dwelling on his thoughts of Harry, he opted to play it by ear over the next few encounters. Yes, that would be the simplest way to figure out what he truly wanted. Sitting himself at his desk he began to prepare for his next class.

* * *

Harry ended his lessons for the day with a sigh of relief. All he had left was dinner and the extra review for the exams before he would be able to go and spend time with Severus. He was exhausted and if he was honest with himself, he wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed and sleep through dinner, though the thought of seeing Severus there was enough to get him to go. Following his class to the Great Hall he allowed a small smile to creep onto his face. His next lesson was at least doing something useful for his students as it would be more than just research but actual life skills. He was going to force them to have a proper duel with each other.

Suddenly he was struck with a thought, 'Should I have someone duel me as an example. I doubt I have time to truly find a suitable match outside the school. I wonder if Severus would agree to a half hour demonstration?'

His thoughts carried him to the Great Hall, where he took his seat more from habit than anything. He barely even noticed when Severus took the seat beside him. In fact, he didn't even here the man ask how the rest of the day went.

It wasn't until the light touch on his arm that he startled back to awareness. "Severus," he said quietly, a light blush creeping across his face. It was another several seconds before Harry took in the concerned look. "What did I miss?"

"I just tried to ask how the rest of your day had turned out. I then repeated your name several times. I thought I had done something to offend you."

"Oh…no!" Harry jumped to reassure the older man. "I was simply thinking about the upcoming study session. I feel as if having the students duel will be the best way to put into use the practical spells they have learned. I will limit it to nonlethal spells, but I was wondering if a demonstration today would do them more good. Half of these students have never seen a live duel, let alone had need to use the spells required for one. Reading books can only take you so far," Harry said.

Severus nodded. "I suppose this is the part you turn to me questioningly to see if I would be willing to help in your demonstration."

Harry smiled cheekily. "Only if you would be willing to help. I was thinking of a half hour dueling session to start tonight off with. The other half hour they would begin to research what spells to use and the techniques."

He could see Severus contemplating the idea, chewing a piece of the steak that was dinner. Harry took the opportunity to take a bite of his own food, his nerves flooding his body. After several seconds of chewing the older man had an answer. "I will agree to the duel as long as you will abide by certain rules. We can use it ask practice for you early. I do not want any long lasting marks and I am sure you can agree to the likewise. I also refuse to use anything illegal. I am done with that part of my life officially. I do not want to do anything to remind me of my past."

Harry nodded. It was far more than he had hoped for. "Of course. I want to educate the students, not cause them to think we are trying to kill each other. I would also like to make it clear to them real duels do not happen in a confined space. If you are willing I would like to make the area of the duel a bit larger than the platform we had in my second year."

Severus nodded. "I agree," he said simply. Harry couldn't keep the smile off of his face. "Might I make a suggestion to go with it?" Harry nodded eagerly and Severus continued. "You are not going to want to supervise a study session after dueling, especially when you are out of practice. We can make the duel longer if needed, but I would let the students do their own research in preparation for Thursday night when you work with them again."

Harry contemplated this. All of the past duels he had fought had ended with him sweaty and exhausted. Severus was correct in thinking he was not going to be in any shape to continue with the study session after. "I think we should keep the duel between thirty and forty five minutes, but you are right."

Severus nodded his agreement and both men returned to their dinner, preparing themselves mentally to face each other. The meal was finished in silence and both men made their way to the Defense classroom to prepare for duel. Harry began by making the platform that took up the entire front half of the classroom. Around the rest of the room he scattered enough chairs to accommodate his fifth through seventh year students. Severus, on the other hand, simply removed his heavy cloak, revealing a fitted white dress shirt and black trousers. Harry couldn't believe he was going to allow students to see him in something other than his ominous billowing robes. 'Though it makes sense,' the younger man thought, removing his own. 'It is a safety hazard.'

"What are you thinking about?" Severus asked, startling the young professor.

"Just thinking about safety measures. I don't suppose you think we need Poppy around for this, do you?" Severus scoffed causing Harry to laugh. "No, I didn't figure you did."

"Relax, Harry. This will be a good demonstration no matter what happens. I doubt you are as rusty as you think and I am sure the students will learn a lot about the practical use of defensive spells."

Harry nodded and took a deep breath to steady his nerves. He would need to have his wits about him when dueling the older man. As students began to fill the chairs, talking excitedly amongst one another with the classroom setup, the two men took to the platform, standing in the middle together, united for the moment. When Harry noticed every seat was filled and all eyes were on them, he cleared his throat and began. "It has come to my attention that most of you have never seen a live duel and as such, would have no way of knowing how defensive spells can be used in a real life scenario. It is much different firing spells at a moving target in comparison with what you experience in a class setting. Professor Snape has graciously offered to help me remedy this situation."

At this Severus inclined his head in acknowledgment, a scowl plastered to his face. It was clear just from the look that he was not going to take it easy on him. After all, weren't they supposed to begin Harry's lessons in defense tomorrow? This was exactly what they would be doing – might as well get a head start.

"Well then," Harry stated, taking a steadying breath, "the first thing to do is bow to your opponent." He turned and bowed to Severus, who followed suit. Both men turned and walked five paces before turning to each other wands at the ready. Harry squinted his eyes in concentration when Severus struck with a nonverbal stinging hex. Quickly Harry threw a shield up and then fired off his own Expelliarmus. The two men continued on, dodging bright flashes of colors and sending more at the opponent. On and on they went, the minutes passing by quickly, both men sweating at the ferocity of the attacks. From the quick glances Harry cast to his students most were in awe as the two Professors viciously went after one another.

Suddenly a chime came from the clock Severus had set as an alarm. Both men froze, bowing once more to one another. Harry wiped his brow from the sweat and watched Severus do the same. He was busy trying to quell the thoughts of longing as he looked on to the older man, hurriedly trying to contain his emotions and regain his breath. "That is what a duel looks like. However, you should never count on a wizard taking the time to go through all the steps. Voldemort only made me go through them once. The other times he attacked without warning. Being able to physically dodge spells comes in handy as it decreases the magical energy you waste and also allows freedom of your wand to curse back. That being said, I want you all to begin looking up curses you believe you would use if you were to enter a duel and have them ready for Thursday night. You are all dismissed."

The class shuffled out slowly chatter filling the air. Harry paused when he heard Ginny utter, "Did you see just how hot they both looked? I knew Harry looked good, but I never would have guessed Snape hid that body under his robes." The group surrounding her chuckled and continued out the door.

* * *

As the final student exited the room, Severus made his way over to Harry, using a flick of his wand to close and lock the door to the classroom. "You are not as rusty as you seem to think you are," he said simply, pulling the young man to him in an embrace. Soft lips met warm chapped ones and together they shared a passionate kiss.

Harry pulled back first, a low chuckle escaping his chapped lips. "I never knew dueling could be that hot," he stated, his voice husky and low with lust.

"That is the first time I have ever wanted to kiss someone after a duel," admitted Severus. Again their lips met and Severus found himself pulling the young man closer to him. It scared him how badly he wanted to take Harry here and now, claiming the young man for his own. The older man pulled back, looking at the breathless eighteen year old in front of him. "I am needed for rounds. Perhaps I could bother you in your rooms for a cup of tea after?" Harry nodded and Severus made his exit. He had decided to take his rounds a bit slower tonight. He had a lot to think over.

When they had had their talk he had not lied. This was all new to him and it scared him. He no longer had to deal with multiple masters trying to order him in many different directions. However willing he seemed to be, the man was also scared to death. The boy had lost so much over his lifetime he didn't want to hurt him. How was he to deal with this?

He allowed his feet to carry him along the usual path, barely noticing the students out in the halls, only stopping to take points from those blatantly in his way. He knew this would cause more talk in the morning, but for now he needed the time to think. His thoughts were turning more confusing than the boy himself. It was clear he was infatuated, but it had been so long he wasn't sure he still remembered what love felt like. How could he be sure he wouldn't lead the young man along only to crush him after months of becoming friendly? He had already promised himself he would not allow a relationship to ruin their friendship. Severus had gone long enough without a friend and he would be damned if he lost his first true one.

Sighing heavily as his route came to an end in front of Harry's door he shook his head. It would not do to act as a school girl with a crush. Knocking he was surprised when the door opened, allowing him entrance without the usual greeting from the messy haired young man. Taking a couple steps inside he noticed a kettle on the stove and a fire in the place, though no Harry. The sound of running water being kicked off caught his attention next and a few minutes later a shirtless Potter entered the room, his hair dripping wet with a pair of sleep pants on his waist. This was more than he could have bargained for and he became increasingly aware of his arousal at the sight.

"Hello," Harry said cheerily, "you are back before I expected."

Severus cleared his throat and nodded, having to peel his eyes off the toned chest and up to his eyes. "Yes, well, there weren't many out. Apparently word has gotten out that there is a professor inside that will gladly take as many points as possible."

Harry laughed and the sound sent chills down the man's back. This was not normal. "Have a seat, Severus. You know you don't have to stand there looking so uncomfortable."

Severus again nodded and took his usual seat, making sure to cross his legs. Harry brought the tea over along with a chess board. "You will probably kick my arse, but I have progressed over the years of playing with Ron. I was simply wondering if you would be interested in a game?"

Severus was surprised. He had known the boy was miserable at chess, though Ron had done his best to teach him. "Of course I am always prepared to 'beat an arse'. Would you like black or white?"

"Black."

"Very well." The game began quickly and violently, almost as if the pair were dueling once again. The concentration needed was doing wonders to ease Severus's erection, though talk was light and easy the game was becoming increasingly more gruesome.

After an hour and half Severus could claim victory, though just barely. The boy must have been practicing. He could clearly remember the redheaded imbecile bragging about winning in his first year. That bragging turned to scoffing as the years passed because of how dismal Harry was.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Harry asked, startling the man.

"Just thinking back to how different life was a mere year ago. You were off getting into trouble, and I was Headmaster of this school – though I don't ever want that post back." He paused and saw an unfamiliar look cross Harry's face. "I suppose for me I never thought I would survive the war. I was too much entwined with both sides that one wrong step, one miscalculation and I would be dead. Now, I am unsure what to do with myself and it is a disheartening thought."

To his surprise Harry moved closer to him. "I can understand. I was offered up as a sheep for the slaughter. I truly thought I was going to die taking out Voldemort, and I was completely okay with that. Once I realized I was going to live I was more confused about what to do with myself. I don't have to save the world anymore, but I still have the memories and several expectations put on me by the outside world. I threw myself into the first thing that came my way and I seem to be doing decently at it."

Silence filled the room as both men contemplated their fates. Suddenly Harry moved and caught the older man's lips in his own, pushing himself flush against Severus. Severus couldn't help the moan that escaped his mouth from the contact. It had been far too long since he had felt anyone this close to him, especially someone he wasn't paying. He felt Harry's curious tongue licking his lips, asking for entrance, to which he greedily accepted. His thoughts shut down, focusing solely on the pleasure he was feeling from the younger man.

Harry pulled back and Severus let out a small whimper at the loss of contact. A blush creeped its way up to the younger man's cheeks and Severus found himself growing hard at the sight. Shaking himself mentally he steeled himself. No matter how horny he was, Severus was not prepared to take the man just yet. It felt wrong to not be in a relationship when that happened for the first time, but Severus was becoming more and more open to that idea.

"Forgive me, it is getting late and we both have early mornings tomorrow," Severus said softly. Harry nodded but his eyes were focused on his feet. "What is wrong?"

"I'm just… I don't know… afraid you are going to leave me. I know we aren't together, but you are my best friend here and I don't want to lose that," Harry said softly with the voice of a boy who had lost too much in his life time.

"I will always be here for you, Harry. No matter what happens I will still remain your friend. You are the first person to willingly seek out a conversation with me outside of Minerva and Poppy. I am not going to give that up so easily."

Harry nodded, steeling himself against the cold of the hall. "Now we both do need some sleep. I will see you tomorrow evening in the Room of Requirement, say seven?"

Harry nodded and smiled. "See you there."


	15. Sounds of Silence

Chapter Fourteen: Sounds of Silence

Harry groaned as his last class of the day let out. He hadn't been able to shake the feeling of exhaustion at all, no matter how many cups of coffee he had consumed. He spent most of the night thinking about the kiss Severus and he had shared. It had left him wanting so much more, a thought that scared him. He had even contemplated distancing himself from the man, but after the confession of fear, that would not be possible. The only comfort the younger man had was that they would still be friends, no matter what. In a way, that almost made him long for a relationship.

His dreams had not helped these thoughts, each one playing out a scenario where he was in a relationship with the stern man. They had traveled the world together, owned their own shop and had three kids. They had grown old together. This had both managed to scare Harry and instilled a sense of warmth. Now, he was heading to face the man in an attempt to regain his speed and he was afraid it was going to end the same as last night. Only this time, he wasn't sure he would be able to pull away.

'Since when has my life gotten so simple and yet so complicated,' Harry thought bitterly, shutting down his office to make his way to the Room of Requirements. He had just arrived and was beginning to walk the hall three times when Severus stopped him.

"Good evening, Harry," he greeted gently. Harry nodded, not trusting his voice. "I have a particular set up in mind. If you would allow me?" he questioned, motioning to the wall where they both knew a door would appear.

"Of course," Harry said weakly, stepping out of the way. A few moments later the heavy wooden door appeared and both men entered, Harry stopping to take in the sight. They were standing at the entrance to what looked like the Forbidden Forest, though none of the creatures seemed to be present.

"It's the Forest," Severus affirmed, taking off his outer robes. Harry couldn't help but watch as a pair of black Under Armour sweatpants and a plain white t-shirt with a pair of Nike trainers finishing off the ensemble was uncovered. The younger man simply had on a pair of red Adidas soccer shorts that had been a gift from Hermione and one of Dudley's old boxing shirts that was two sizes too big. He had never bothered to replace his clothing so the trainers he wore were an off brand held together by tape.

"If the school were to be attacked again, the remaining Death Eaters would be sure to use the cover of the forest, much like Voldemort did. They would want you to come out and meet them as the forest provides some natural cover," Severus said. "Nott, Avery, Travers, and Macnair all have the ability to cast nonverbals and I would suspect would be all too happy to use them to their advantage."

Harry nodded, making sure to make that an important mental note. It was no secret he wasn't great at nonverbal spells. The principle made sense to him, but he had never managed to grasp the concept of getting the magic to the wand without saying it. "That is something I struggle with," he admitted quietly. He wondered if he should add the fact that he had been closest to achieving it when the man taught Defense, but thought against it.

"I had realized that. Remember, I was grading you on it," Severus teased lightly and Harry couldn't help but laugh. "I was hoping now we had a friendship and you didn't loathe everything I said as much as I loathed having to teach you that you would be more successful. I am here to help you, Harry."

"I know."

"You have to think the connection. Let the magic fill you, feel it swirl inside of you and channel it out your wand. Your wand should act as a type of lightning rod. Try and do a simple spell," Severus instructed.

Harry nodded and pointed at a twig that had fallen from one of the fake trees. The first spell he had ever learned was Wingardium Leviosa – couldn't get much simple than that. As he focused he began to feel something warm and light swirl through him, engulfing him in warmth. 'Wingardium Leviosa,' he thought forcefully and to his amazement, the tree branch moved.

"That's good, Harry," his instructor praised and Harry couldn't help the smile. "I don't want you to use more nonverbals tonight. You will have to build up to them, but practice for about half an hour each night. Next week you should be ready to use them in battle. Tonight, I am going to give you a minute head start before I come after you. Go."

The younger man took off into the woods, running as fast as he could in the direction of the other wall, zig zagging, hoping to throw off the other man.

* * *

Severus stood at the entrance counting. He had to fight off a groan at how loud Harry was. He would have to teach him to be lighter on his feet or the Death Eaters would have no problem finding him in an area where fallen leaves and twigs covered the ground. When the minute was over he began making his way into the forest on light feet, barely making a sound. It didn't take him long to figure out the direction Harry had went and so he began after him, wand poised and at the ready. He had to stifle a laugh as the realization this was the adult equivalent of hide and seek hit him. Making his way he made sure to clear his surroundings, continually listening into the silence for the sounds of movement. This was what he had been skilled at. Years of being a double agent had made him weary and silent, over cautious in situations where an ambush was fully possible.

In another two minutes he had found his target, running furiously back toward the entrance. His wand was out, though he moved through the wooded area blind and unseeing. Severus shot a tripping jinx his way and watched as the young man landed on his face. Within seconds the bespectacled boy was back on his feet, wand pointing straight at the Potions Professor. The man stood still, making sure his breathing was silent and the boy turned in the other direction. He took the opportunity to send a Jelly-legs Jinx which Harry quickly cancelled. Severus watched as Harry focused in before sending an Expelliarmus in his direction. Quickly he ducked and threw a Leg-Locker Curse, which Harry dodged.

And the so the battle went on, each taking turns on the offensive and defensive, dodging or blocking the others attacks while firing off their own. Sweat was pouring off Severus when he finally landed the full body bind on Harry. Breathing heavily he walked over and cancelled the spell, helping the younger man to his feet.

"Clearly you are not as out of practice as you thought," he commented, still winded.

Harry nodded. "How long did that take?"

Severus cast a quick tempus charm, revealing the time to be 9:30. He was shocked. No wonder he was so winded. "I am afraid I have caused you to miss dinner," he commented and Harry shrugged. "Perhaps I can make it up to you? Get yourself cleaned up and come to my room at ten. I will have something prepared for the both of us."

"Sounds great," the younger man said and exited the room. Severus waited a minute before following, amazed that the room had spit him out inches from his own chambers. 'There are times I could absolutely kiss this castle,' he thought as he entered his room. "Dax!" he called, making his way to the bathroom to start the shower.

"Yes, sir. How can Dax serve?" the elf greeted with a pained expression, though Severus noted he wasn't bowing.

"Please set the table for two. I would like two filet mignon cooked medium rare, sides of cubed red potatoes and Brussels sprouts, and to drink I would like a bottle of the 1990 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz. I will expect it served in half an hour. Thank you," he ordered and the elf nodded and disappeared, leaving him to step into the shower.

Severus was shocked to find himself excited for this dinner. He wasn't normally one to make a fuss over what he ate as long as it served his purpose, but he was hoping Harry would like the choices he made. Hell, the young man had probably never been allowed to enjoy this type of meal. During the Occlumency lessons he had witnessed enough information to determine the most famous wizard in all of history had had a horrible upbringing at the hands of his aunt and uncle. In the long scheme of things, Harry was just another orphan of Hogwarts. Severus shook his head. It would do him no good to dwell on the thoughts. Stepping out of the shower he grabbed a towel, quickly dried his hair and then wrapped it around his waist, making his way into the bedroom. Opening his wardrobe a strange thought occurred – what would he wear? Clearly he had made this much more of a formal affair, but he doubted Harry would show up dressed for such. Perhaps jeans and a black button down shirt would suffice? Pulling out the ensemble he made his way over to the dresser and pulled out a pair of black boxer briefs, a black v-neck undershirt, and black socks. Drying himself quickly he dressed and made his way into the living room to wait.

He didn't have to wait long, though, for he had no more than sat down when the knock came. He noticed the table was already set and the wine had been poured for the both of them. A single candle was in the middle of the table and Severus fought back the blush. He was Severus Snape – he didn't blush. Opening the door he smiled. It seemed Harry had had the same idea as him and dressed in a soft blue button down that complimented the green in his eyes and a dark-wash pair of jeans. "Come in," Severus said, motioning for the young man to enter.

"Thank you." He watched Harry make his way to the table and take a seat, taking in the smell of the filet. "This looks wonderful."

"I hope you enjoy it. I know you haven't had the best of upbringings and doubted you had ever had the chance to enjoy such a meal. I am glad I could offer you such."

With that they both tucked in, the sound of silverware clattering and chewing filling the tiny chambers. "This is amazing," Harry stated, doing his best not to talk with his mouth full. Severus smiled.

"It is one of my favorite meals. Unfortunately it is only served on special request. My father, ass though he was, made sure the children learned of the finer things in life, if only once. He refused to raise us to be slobs."

"Petunia forced me to make all of the meals. I learned to cook at an early age. I could probably make this by hand, but I was never given the chance to try it," Harry admitted, looking down at his plate. "The expensive food was never meant for a freak like me."

Severus froze. Never before had he heard Harry talk this way. Had they really gone as far to call him a freak? "Your family told you were a freak?" he asked in disbelief. He was shocked to see Harry nod. "Harry, did Albus know? Surely you told someone?"

"No one knew. Well, Hermione and Ron did, but outside of that no one knew. I asked in my first year if I could stay at the castle for the summer, but Dumbledore always said it was for my own good – the blood wards would protect me. I figured being safe was more important than comfort; better to be alive and hungry than dead," Harry admitted. "It's not as if my family was trying to kill me. When they were really mad at me they would only starve me for a day, maybe two at the most."

Severus pounded his fist on the table and noticed Harry cringe back slightly, causing the older wizard to become more enraged. "Did they beat you?"

"No. Vernon wouldn't touch a freak like me. The most he would do is if I fell asleep and had a nightmare was throw shoes at me from the doorway."

Severus shook his head. This was far worse than he had expected and mentally he told himself he would be paying Petunia a visit over the holidays. That type of behavior was unacceptable, especially from a relative. "I am sorry," Severus finally offered and Harry shot him a smile.

"We all had our roles to play," Harry offered. "You played yours better than most would have. It just seemed that was mine. In truth, it was what made me into the person I am today. I knew I never wanted to be like them. They made sure they didn't make sacrifices for me and in the end, it's why I was willing to sacrifice it all for the wizarding world – for the people I loved. Now, I have no contact with them and have been enveloped into the Weasley clan and have Teddy. I have family, true people who care for him, and what more could anyone ask for?"

The boy was wiser beyond his years and Severus nodded. He knew that feeling. He had felt that with Lucius and Narcissa once upon a time and was still attached with Draco. Now, he realized, he had Harry and Teddy to add to that list, and probably most of the Weasley clan as well, though Molly had always tried to get him to stay for the dinners after meetings. For some strange reason, instead of the groan that would normally accompany that thought, a warm feeling spread throughout him. Taking a sip of wine he couldn't help but smile and blurt out, "Will you allow me to court you?"

* * *

Harry sat in shock for a moment. Severus had just asked for a courtship. What the hell did that even mean? "I understand if it is too soon," he quickly covered. "I care for you a great deal, Harry. I don't want to rush you. We can take this as slow as you want."

Harry shook his head. "I want you. I can't stop thinking about you and the best parts of my day are when I'm with you. Yes. I think we should still take it slow, but yes."

Severus nodded, a small smile coming to the older man's face, but a smile none the less and Harry knew in that moment he had made the right decision. He truly cared for the man and it was finally time for him to concern himself with the need of someone else in a relationship setting rather than as the fate of the world.

Both men finished in silence, thinking over exactly what had transpired. As Harry cleared his plate he smiled and said, "Thank you," moving to put his dish in the sick.

"You are very much welcome, Harry. Just leave your dishes in the sink and the house elves will get them. Perhaps you would care for another glass of wine and some conversation before you return to your rooms for the night?"

"I think that would be just fine," Harry said smiling. "Can we make ourselves more comfortable in your sitting room, though?"

Severus chuckled and nodded, motioning for the young man to lead the way. He couldn't help but notice the man seemed to have a new life about him and it made him appear younger. His life had been hard, there was no doubting that, but Harry couldn't help but think he was providing him with a new view on things and as such, was helping him forget his past. He took his seat, continuing to think on, back to the times as a scared eleven year old entering his first potions lesson with the professor who looked older than his years.

"How is Ginerva Weasley behaving in your classroom?"

The question startled the younger man. It was not often Severus brought her up, knowing Harry preferred to leave it alone than gossip. Severus must have noticed the startled look on his face for he quickly clarified. "I was only asking as her grades have begun to slip in all of her major classes and I was wondering if the same could be said for your own."

Harry thought back to his recent grades and shook his head. "She is still one of my top students. She hasn't missed an assignment, but she has stopped answering as many questions and participating as much as she used to. I hadn't thought much of it until now."

"Has anything changed with her or her family lately? I know Ronald is beginning to be used more in the shop and has spent much of his time traveling now. Have they had a row?"

"Not that I know of. I talked to him just the other day by owl. He said everyone was doing fine. I know she took Fred's death hard and Ron just found out what exactly has been going on. Perhaps he said something and it upset her. I don't feel like I am capable of asking her about it, but I realize she is in my house and something must be done. I will speak with the rest of her Professors before going to McGonagall about it."

Severus nodded. "That would be the wise decision and what I was going to recommend. Clearly you are far more cut out for this than I originally thought."

Harry scoffed. "Why, Severus, I can't believe you truly doubted me, the chosen one, of being capable of teaching a few dunderheaded children how to defend themselves. After all, I have had a lot of practice in the subject. Shouldn't I be one of the best teachers there is?" he questioned sarcastically, fighting hard to keep the smile off his face.

The older man shook his head laughing. "If that is all that makes for a good teacher I will eat my own socks. While it is true that the best teachers can demonstrate their subject in an advanced way, they also have to be able to discipline. I figured you would not have the discipline yourself to make any of the children mind. After all, look at your Occlumency lessons."

Harry blushed. "I truly understand how you could think that of me, especially when I first started here. I had yet to grow up and was still struggling with the hand life dealt me. I was a scared fifteen year old and you didn't make things easier on me. I now thank you for that, but back then, back then I wanted nothing more than to curse your balls off and make you as miserable as you made me."

Severus nodded in understanding. "I admit that I did not care for you. You reminded me of your father too much for my liking at first. When I came to realize you had a better soul than even your mother, I couldn't help but like you and respect you. Unfortunately, that was never something I was allowed to do. Too many of my Slytherins would have run to report that to the Dark Lord and that would have been the end of me."

"I know and if I had been smart enough to realize that back then it would have saved us a lot of problems. I want you to know how thankful I am for everything you taught me and tried to teach me. I owe you my life."

Severus shook his head. "I owe you my freedom and for that, I can never fully repay you."

The conversation went silent, both men reliving their pasts respectively, both filled with hurt and loss. Harry moved closer to Severus on the couch, gently laying his head on the other's man chest, seeking some form of comfort. Severus raised his arm, allowing him a better angle and both relaxed in silence.

* * *

A couple hours later found Severus in the same position, his arm asleep and tingling and Harry sound asleep on his chest. He had grabbed the book closest to the table when the younger man had drifted off, only moving slightly so as not to disturb him. This was a first in Severus's life. He had never had anyone fall asleep on him willingly, especially not someone he was in a relationship with. This just didn't happen – not to him.

After years of sacrificing everything for the cause, knowing that it would only end when he was dead, he had never thought about his future after the war. He had expected to die, giving wholly of himself for a stupid debt Albus Dumbledore continually threw in his face. There would be no happy ever after for him, no peaceful future, and so he always just skimmed past that, focusing on his past or the present. However, now he was in the future, a time of peace, and was finding that for the first time he was allowed to be happy and he was enjoying it. He doubted he would come back next year to Hogwarts. Harry had opened his eyes to his potential outside of the school and had even gone as far as to offer to help with the start up.

He had begun to research this possibility in more detail, wanting to be able to give Minerva his decision during the holiday, and had found a small shop in Hogsmeade that would be perfect to open at first and had scheduled a tour of the shop and above apartment for over break. It would also allow for him to continue his relationship with Harry, if they lasted, as he would be close to the castle. He could even expand to Diagon Alley once he had enough.

In his daydreaming he felt Harry move and smiled to himself. It wasn't often he allowed himself to get so comfortable he completely forgot there was someone else in the room, let alone someone leaning on him. The last person he had ever felt this comfortable with was his own mother, though his father made sure to discourage that any chance he could. He couldn't afford to risk his offspring ending up a momma's boy; what would his coworkers at the plant think? Severus shook his head. Those were not pleasant memories and he refused to go down that road with Harry present.

"No…no, please, take me," Harry moaned in his sleep, startling Severus. He knew the boy had always had some nightmares but he figured with the downfall of the Dark Lord they would have ceased. In hindsight he realized this was a foolish assumption as his remained just as firm and fierce as ever. It was no secret the boy had gone through hell; why would he just be able to forget everything.

"No!" he cried out and Severus sprang into action, gently moving the young man for better access.

"Harry," he said gently, "Harry, you are safe. You are with me, Severus. You are safe."

A small flutter of eyelids led to full emerald eyes with a frighten gaze peering directly at Severus. "Severus," Harry said, more to himself as a reminder of where he was than as a name. In a few moments Harry had bolted upright. "Severus!" he exclaimed, a blush coming to his face. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to have fallen asleep. You shouldn't have had to rouse me from a nightmare let alone at all."

Severus smiled softly. "It is okay. You seemed to need the sleep. I can offer you Dreamless Sleep for the remainder of the night and will make sure you have a supply of it. Just remember you can only take it a week on and a week off, though the effects should carry over."

Harry nodded and beamed. "That would be much appreciated! I still feel like such a fool. The war is over. I shouldn't still be dreaming of him and that damn snake."

"What you saw and had to do was more than any person should ever be asked. You handed it and rose to the challenge and saved the wizarding world because of your actions. It would be foolish to think you would be able to move on quickly. The wizarding world is flawed in some of its beliefs and putting everything onto the shoulders of a boy just happened to be one of them. We will talk more about that if you would like at a later date. Now it is late. You are more than welcome to stay here. I can set up the small guest bedroom or I can walk you back to your own rooms."

He watched Harry blush and nod. "I would hate to impose. My rooms are just down the hall. I would like the company on the walk there, but think I should probably spend the night there. After all, what would the students say if they found me walking to breakfast leaving from here?"

Severus nodded. "Very well." He followed Harry to the door and walked silently beside him, surprised when the young man stopped outside of his own rooms.

"Thank you for such a wonderful evening," Harry said, standing on tip toe to gently kiss Severus. Severus responded in kind, lightly kissing him back, just enough to signify the goodnight kiss.

Harry was the first to pull away and Severus smiled, motioning for the man to enter his rooms. "Goodnight, Harry. Anytime."


	16. The Man in Me

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I am merely borrowing the characters and manipulating them to my own whims.

Chapter Fifteen: The Man in Me

Harry woke early, the eerie green light from the bathroom window bouncing and dancing off the walls, causing the groggy young man to bolt upright, wand clenched tightly in hand, relaxing only when he realized what the shadows were from. Feeling foolish he set his wand back on his nightstand and stretched; for the first time in many years he had gotten a good night's sleep, not having to deal with the nightmares that seemed to constantly plague him. He noticed it was only five thirty and opted to swim a few laps in his massive tub. In truth he preferred running, but this was much closer and easier to get in and out of and he knew he needed the cardio work. After all, he once again had mad men after his head and would need every advantage available to defeat them. Not to mention the night before had taken a lot of stamina and his body was aching from the work. He would need to regain his endurance.

At six he had had enough of swimming, moving instead into the shower to relax his now aching muscles. The past couple of days had used muscles he hadn't used since the war and though he was still in good shape, he was not combat ready. Smiling he let the hot water rinse over him, thoughts of the previous night cascading through his head. He hadn't expected anything like that. They were finally making process and for the first time in his life, he felt normal. The butterflies were there and he was finally with someone he truly cared for and not just because he thought it was what the world expected of him. He had cared for Cho but not romantically. He cared for Ginny but that was more in a familial sense. Now, he had finally found someone, but would his best friends be happy for him?

Harry quickly dried himself and dressed, deciding to head to the Great Hall for an early breakfast to then prepare his classroom for his lessons. A knock on the door interrupted all of that. Smiling, thinking it was Severus, he practically skipped to the door, throwing it open, the name of his now boyfriend dying on his lips as he saw Draco there. "Well, aren't we in good spirits this morning?"

"Draco, what brings you here? I didn't think you started until after the holidays."

Draco smiled. "Officially, I don't, but father is putting more and more pressure now he knows I have a job that is going to keep in a castle most of the year. I worked out an arrangement with McGonagall so I could move in early to avoid some of this. She has been really understanding and helpful."

"Well, that is McGonagall for you. Would you like to come in?" Harry asked, stepping to one side to allow entrance. Draco moved past him and took a seat on the couch, draping his arm over the back to make himself comfortable. "Where are your rooms?"

"Well, she is working on cleaning out rooms closer to my classroom, but for now I am staying in the connecting rooms to the DADA office. I must admit, I am surprised you gave up those digs for this room. I would think you would want something closer unless there was another reason to keep you in the dungeons," the blonde winked.

Harry had to fight the blush threatening to crawl over his skin. He wasn't sure how Draco had figured it out, but he would not talk about his relationship with Severus without the other man's knowledge or permission. Severus was a private man and he didn't want to jeopardize the relationship this early on. "I have no idea what you are talking about Draco. All of my things were already here from my work over the summer. I merely didn't want to move it all again and have to redecorate. Not to mention the nursery was already added to these rooms."

Draco laughed. "I am not sure I would call this decorating. How quickly can you make it up to Gryffindor Tower in case of problems?"

"The castle provided me with a staircase in my closet that comes out right beside of the Fat Lady. What are you really trying to ask, Draco?"

"I was just wondering why my Godfather could not stop smiling this morning and why you seemed so happy when you opened the door. I'm not an idiot. Something is going on between you two. I won't push for answers, but if you both keep going the way this morning has, how long before your students know?"

"Shit," was all Harry could manage. "We were that obvious this morning?"

"To anyone who knows you, yes. Severus is smiling, Harry. Full fledge smile… with teeth. He never greets anyone that way. I know he has worked on being friendlier, but he is still Severus, bat of the dungeons, and this morning was completely out of character for him."

Harry nodded. "I'm guessing you said exactly what you are telling me to him?"

Draco laughed. "Not quite. Do you really think he would have taken the same tone from me? I do like living, Potter."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Of course. Have you had breakfast or were you relying on me for that?"

Draco stood. "No, I was coming down to see if you would like to join me in the Great Hall for that very meal. However, when I found both of you in the same state this morning, I figured a talking to would be wise." He began to walk to the door, Harry following behind, when he said, "Oh, and if you hurt him, I will kill you myself." Harry nodded and the pair made their way to the already full Great Hall.

* * *

Severus was in a foul mood after being awoken by Draco. He had assumed it would be Harry, but no, his Godson was now at the castle and the older man had no idea what this meant for the relationship he had just entered. Would Harry want to tell him, would Harry expect him to go against his very personality or would they keep it between them? What if the press found out and he was suddenly swarmed, his name appearing in every tabloid? That was not the life he ever wanted. Hell, he was embarrassed about Harry's speech to the Dark Lord. Slowly he ate his oatmeal, his temper rising as the breakfast went on. Finally he hit his breaking point when he spotted Draco enter the Hall with Harry, the pair laughing as if neither had a care in the world. Throwing his napkin on the plate, he stormed from the room and headed straight to his classroom to prepare for the day, his head throbbing.

Students didn't help his mood improve and many of the upper years thought it was a return to the old days and his former way of teaching. Points were taken left and right and detentions were handed out like candy. He caught every snide comment and biting remark, and punishments were given. By the end of the morning, most of the students were in a foul mood right along with him, but he didn't care. He stormed up to lunch on silent feet, the scowl plastered to his face. Last night was a rash decision and now he was having to live with the consequences.

"Good afternoon, Severus," Harry greeted him quietly, a small smile on gracing the man's face.

"Oh, is it? I don't see much good about it," Severus responded bitterly, taking his seat with a flare of his robes. He noted the hurt look briefly cross the younger man's face, but he was too far gone to care.

"Perhaps we can talk briefly before classes resume about a student," Harry offered and the scowl deepened.

"Whatever problem you are having you can solve them yourself, I am sure."

Now the look of concern was much more evident. "I would prefer not to have this conversation here, but I feel like we need to talk, Severus. I will be in my classroom. Hopefully I see you before classes resume," Harry said, finishing his drink. Severus watched him stand and leave the Great Hall, the headache doubling.

He rolled his eyes and went back to his lunch, annoyed that the other man could read him so well at this stage. If he was honest with himself he was also ashamed he had let his day get to this point all because of one encounter with his Godson. If he was honest, he should have gone to Harry's office for the talk. Instead, he made his way to the dungeons and began to brood again, taking his wrath out on the students. By the end of the day, he was ready to curl up on his couch with Potions Weekly and a stiff drink.

* * *

Harry was hurt and confused by the day's strange behavior, but he had no time to deal with it. Tonight was the second night of the study group and he had to supervise the children as they continued to research what spells would work best for them. Several had asked for help with wand movement and the like as the night wore on, and he was happy to give, but his thoughts were still back on the encounters with Severus throughout the day. Each and every one of them had been a stark contrast to the Severus of last night. Was the man regretting his decision and now was attempting to push him away instead of confronting the problem?

"Professor," Nicole Gray, a blonde seventh year began, "when using a nonverbal, how are you supposed to channel your magic? I know you are supposed to feel it through you, but I am confused as to how exactly."

"Know yourself. You have to be able to feel your magic within you. Feel it flowing in your veins. It is easier to do if you are saying the spells. Start with a basic first year spell and attempt to feel it flow through you and out your wand."

She nodded and walked away, going back to her Defense textbook and notes and Harry continued to walk around the classroom, his thoughts back on Severus. Something had happened and he had no idea what. The Potions Master wouldn't even come to talk to him about it at lunch, but Harry had to do something. Setting himself at his desk he pulled a piece of parchment, a quill and some ink from one of the drawers, taking one last look around the room before he lost himself in his work.

* * *

Severus was almost finished with the Potions Weekly magazine when he heard the familiar tap of an owl against the door. Grimacing at the disruption, he stood and opened the door, allowing the grey owl to enter. Of course Harry would be the one to send him owl post, especially after the way he acted today. Taking a seat again in his chair he took the letter from the owl's leg and began to read.

_Dear Severus,_

_I am not sure what happened today, but I want to apologize if I did anything. You won't talk to me about what is going on, so I can only assume whatever it is, I had something to do with it. Again, I am sorry._

_I wish you trusted me enough to inform me of whatever it is. I have missed having your company today. Draco informed me he woke you up this morning. Hopefully that has nothing to do with whatever is going on between us. I care for you a great deal, but if you are not prepared to have a relationship, I understand. I will wait, but please let me know. I hate feeling like this. I am in the dark completely._

_I am at the study session for another half hour. If you would like to see me tonight to discuss this, I will be in my chambers afterward, or you can send a response with Phillia. I hope to hear from you tonight._

_Yours,_

_Harry_

He knew he should be willing to discuss his fears and beliefs with the young man he was in a relationship with, but that was not the type of person he was. He was private and independent; not one to discuss with anyone what was bothering him. Severus sighed. Perhaps he wasn't completely ready to open up to anyone or that deeply, but that wasn't entirely true. He had allowed Harry in over the past several months and had enjoyed having someone to share his thoughts with. Several realizations hit him and again he sighed. He was going to have to talk with Harry.

He passed the half hour by finishing the magazine, making notes to bring up at the potions conference held each spring in Paris. Standing, he went to his bathroom to make sure and stared at himself in the mirror. His reflection showed a different man this morning. This morning his mirror had shown a man full of life and happy. Now his worry lines were back and more prominent than ever and he once again looked miserable. Taking a deep breath he walked back into the main room, stopping at the liquor cabinet to grab a bottle of his Ogden's Finest. If he was going to have this conversation, he was going to need something to take the edge off. With the bottle in hand, he headed for Harry's rooms, a scowl plastered to his face the entire way.

* * *

Harry had just entered his rooms and had seated himself at the desk to grade when a knock at his door startled him. Sighing he rose again, exhaustion from the day taking over, and went to the door, unsure of what this would be about. He barely contained his surprise to find Severus standing there, bottle of Firewhiskey in his hand. "May I come in?"

"Of course," Harry responded, stepping aside to allow the older man entrance. "Make yourself at home. Would you like a glass?"

"Please," Severus said taking a seat on the couch, one arm stretched out across the back.

Harry went and pulled two tumblers and poured each of them a glass, handing one to Severus on his way to his chair. "What made you to decide you wanted to talk to me now?"

"Harry, I want to apologize for earlier. I reacted poorly to Draco's early morning visit and I let that get the best of me. I also was worried about what his arrival meant for our relationship. It should be no surprise that I am still very much a private man. I was worried our relationship was going to wind up being front page news. My reputation is still not great, and part of me doubts it ever truly will be, but I am not prepared for the swarm of eyes because of more of my life choices."

"Draco knows, but not because I told him. He figured it out when he came to my room after yours. He knows how private you are and how I wish more than anything I could have an ounce of that privacy and so he is going to keep it quiet. Why couldn't you come and talk to me about it though? You say you care for me and yet, you seem to not trust me."

Severus shook his head, taking a moment to find the right words. "I have never been in a position where I have had to consider the thoughts and feelings of others. I became so angry because I thought you were joking about us with Draco and I saw the headlines of tomorrow's paper in my mind and I wanted nothing to do with you. It is something I am not proud of. Years of being a double spy has made it hard to think the best of anyone – trust does not come easy for me. I know I am new to this and have blown every other relationship I have been involved in. I do not want that to be the case in this one. Please, forgive me."

Harry took a sip and nodded. "Of course I forgive you, but I want to know what I can do make you not think the worst. How can I make you open up to me with your thoughts and concerns? I thought we had been doing that so well over the past several months. If it means we drop any titles or notions about what being involved truly means, I am willing to do it."

"I want to be involved with you, otherwise I would not have asked. I am having to reprogram myself and everything I have known for over seventeen years. All I am asking you to have a little patience with me."

"Of course, Severus."

They both sat in silence for a few when another knock on the door came. Harry couldn't help but smile. "I am sure that is Draco now, wondering why we didn't go up to celebrate his first full day inside of these walls."

Severus nodded and Harry went to open the door, surprised to see Minerva standing there.

"Severus, I am surprised you are here as well, but as you were going to be my next visit, I suppose this is better. May I come in, Harry? It wouldn't due to discuss what I need to in the hall."

"Of course," Harry motioned her in, a serious look crossing his face. He noted Severus held the familiar scowl, though he was sure he wouldn't see much emotion there. That was part of the years of programming to be a spy.

"Minerva, what happened?"

"How much do you know about what is happening at the Ministry?"

Harry couldn't help the look of confusion. He hadn't thought anything was going on at the Ministry. Kingsley was in charge with Arthur working closely under him. Changes were being implanted and laws were quickly coming under review with the help of Hermione and the last time he had checked in with those people, everything was fine.

"I haven't heard anything. Nothing has been in any paper and the reports I am getting from friends is things are changing quickly. What happened?" Harry asked again.

"The Ministry has gone on lockdown. Someone tried to infiltrate this evening. Arthur was injured, along with nearly a dozen other people. The Aurors are still searching for the culprits, but there is something you both should know. There is one person completely unaccounted for."

Severus cringed and Harry knew immediately who it was. So this was the plan – try and lure him out of the safety of the school to rescue one of his best friends. It was not surprising – he had always shown the desire to protect people, even if it meant going against his own safety. Hell, he had willingly walked to his death in the forest for the good of the cause and for the safety of everyone still in the castle.

"Have they made any demands or any attempt at contact?" Harry was startled by Severus' question.

Minerva shook her head. "Not yet."

"If I were them I would lay low until the Ministry becomes active again. There is no benefit in making demands if there is no one to answer them. I would also be attempting to get information. They now have a hostage, a smart and well informed hostage. A guard needs to be sent to Andromeda Tonks and I believe it would be wise to summon the Order."

Harry nodded. He appreciated not having to think of all of this on his own. In many ways it was too much to take in. Hermione had always been the brains of the trio and had managed to keep them all from dying in the war. Now she was the hostage to try and lure him out. They had all underestimated this group of rogues and now his best friend was going to pay for it.

"Severus, are you sure this will be a fast enough response?"

Harry barely heard them discuss the pros and cons of the plan. He knew what he needed to do. They could use the advantage of surprise – no one would be expecting them, but where would they be. All of their homes had been searched and found empty save for their worldly possessions. It also didn't help none of them officially knew who the leader was, though Severus was probably correct in thinking it was Nott. Still, the decision didn't change.

Not caring who he interrupted he said, "I'm going to go looking now."


	17. Let it Go

A/N: This is the last chapter I have written so far. I plan on writing more tomorrow.

Chapter Sixteen: Let it Go

Silence filled the room before Minerva spoke. "Harry, I understand Ms. Granger is a dear friend of yours, but rushing off without a plan will not save her. We don't even know where they are keeping her; let alone where to begin looking. I am sure they have demands and will make them known, but for now I think it would be best for us to wait and gather our forces."

Harry shook his head. "With all due respect, who's to say they haven't already seriously hurt her? I am not letting her suffer any more than she already has. She sacrificed herself for this war once and I am not letting her go through that again." He turned on his heel and was halfway to the door when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning he was surprised to see Severus was the one who had stopped him.

"If this is what you are doing, I am going with you. I let you walk to your death once alone. This time you will have my help and protection." He turned to the Headmistress. "They are most likely taking refuge in the old Riddle House. That was where the Dark Lord was stationed himself for most of his final two years. They would be familiar with it, as am I."

Harry nodded, a smile creeping to his face. He watched Severus turn to him. "I will need a half hour to prepare the necessary items and I would suggest you dress a bit warmer."

"Of course. I will meet you at the front gate. Minerva, we should be back by morning, but if not I will have lessons plans made out for the library on my desk," Harry stated, and Severus nodded in agreement before gracefully throwing open the door and gliding down the hall to his own room. Minerva shook her head at the pair, muttering about how she would inform the Order, and left Harry alone in his rooms.

* * *

Severus quickly made his way to his rooms, leaving behind the young man he cared so much for. So much had changed for him he was beginning to hardly recognize himself. This was as unlike him as he could get, rushing off without a plan. No, this was too much a Gryffindor trait for him to truly feel like himself. However, he meant what he said; he would not risk losing the young man again. If that meant having to follow him, so be it.

Upon entering his room he spotted Draco Malfoy sitting at his desk facing away, looking out the fake window into the lake. The blonde looked younger in that moment than Severus could ever remember seeing him. "What brings you to my chambers, Draco? And do be quick; I am in a bit of a rush," he said, moving about, beginning to gather what he thought they might need for their journey.

"You are going after her." It wasn't a question, but a statement filled with worry. Severus couldn't help but stop and turn to his Godson.

"Yes, but how did you know she was missing?" he questioned and Draco nodded and rolled his eyes.

"I didn't expect Harry to sit through it. I was having a conversation with Minerva when Kingsley fire called her. She made her apologies and went to inform Harry. If you already know you must have been with him and I am glad for that. You will offer some levelheadedness to him, though I am not sure how much if you have bought in to his nonexistent plan, which brings me to why I am sitting here. I'm going with you two."

Severus shook his head. "They want you dead as much as they want Harry and me. I am worried about keeping him alive as it is. I can't have you there to worry about too. I'm sorry, Draco."

"I'm not leaving you to go by yourselves. I know how to defend myself and we will at least be closer to their numbers. I'm no longer a child, Severus. I'm going. I know where they are as well as you do. I informed Kingsley of this before he had to go, but the Aurors are busy attempting to regain control of the Ministry. He can't spare any until tomorrow, at the earliest."

The older man let a sigh escape, knowing he was defeated. Draco had been raised around all of this so he was familiar, but the boy had managed to remain somewhat innocent through the war. Tonight was likely to change that, something Severus didn't want for his Godson. A nod was all he could manage as he finished packing various potions and supplies into a small leather backpack. Draco stood and both men made their way to the front gates, neither in the mood for any more conversation.

* * *

Harry was standing at the gates waiting for Severus dressed in a pair of dragon hide pants, a tight fitting long sleeved red shirt and a Military Men Biker Jacket zipped up to his chest. His wand was holstered under his left sleeve and his spare was attached to his leg, giving him the distinct impression of going to war. His eyes glanced to the door, shock flooding him to see blonde hair approaching along with the black shaggy hair of Severus.

"For the love of Merlin, Draco, what are you doing here?"

Severus responded before the younger man could get a word out. "He will be joining us. We could use the numbers and he is insisting." Harry shook his head, but said nothing more on the subject – it wouldn't do any good anyways. "I know you have been to the cemetery outside of Riddle Manor before, Harry. How well do you remember it?"

Harry shuddered. He hadn't completely thought it through that he would be forced to return to the graveyard where Voldemort took a body again and killed Cedric. "Well enough," was the only response he could manage. Severus nodded, turned on the spot, and was gone with a small 'pop'. Draco followed suit leaving Harry to take a steadying breath and disappear into nothingness.

When his feet hit solid ground again he let out a small breath of relief and looked across the pitch dark grounds for the signs of the other two. They were both standing a couple feet away, wands drawn, silently waiting for him to join them. Slowly, walking as quietly as he could, he joined them, pointing to the massive home in front of him. Life was evident inside on the upper floors where flickering lights flittered through the patchy curtains.

"What's the plan?" Draco whispered, looking to Severus.

"There are three entrances inside: the front door which is the main entrance, the back door which is directly in front of us, and the caretaker's entrance off to the side. If I were them, I would have a lookout stationed at the main entrance and the back door. The caretaker was disposed of when Voldemort first took over this house making that entrance our best bet. Only a few people know about that door."

Harry nodded, vividly remembering the dream he had had the night Voldemort had killed the old man. That had been the start of the nightmare year, though looking back they all had been nightmares after that. Mentally shaking himself he focused again. "If I were them I would station lookouts in the upper floor windows as well to watch anyone approaching so a Disillusioned approach would be best. Are we looking at any booby traps along the way?"

Draco shook his head. "The last I knew of the only traps were on the main entrance and I doubt Nott would think to add his own. No one outside of the Death Eaters and yourself know about this place. It is what makes it the ideal location for the hideout. You would think of this and come to Granger's rescue yourself. They may be expecting you, but they won't be expecting Severus and I."

"He's right. I would also recommend using nonverbals to stun them. Killing them requires more effort and it may alert someone to our arrival." Everyone nodded and quickly cast Disillusionment Charms, each silently hoping for the best.

Severus reached the door first, Harry immediately behind him with Draco bringing up the rear. If someone had told Harry years ago that he would be in this position he would have laughed and sent them to the Hospital Wing to be examined. It was amazing how time and a new perspective could cause things to change. Silently the door was opened and the three made their way inside, wands at the ready, scanning for any sign of a guard. On silent feet they began the climb up the back stair case, making sure to tread lightly on the old wooden flooring. Hushed voices came from the second floor and, as expected, they found a single person, Rowle, keeping watch out of the window. Severus was the first to react, and with a brief flash of light the man was slumped on the ground.

They all moved on, scanning both in front of them and behind them, making sure they didn't miss anything. The main group of lights had come from the third floor so they would have to go up another flight. Harry was sure Nott and Avery would be there, and most likely Macnair, though they would be the most trouble. A female voice rang out clearly, followed by a scream and Harry knew Hermione was being tortured for information.

Severus placed an arm across his chest to keep him from running forward and Draco moved closer to his back. He nodded in understanding. If he rushed forward, as per his tendency, he would give up the moment of surprise. As of now, the small group had the advantage. Footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs from the right and Severus quickly moved to the other side, hiding in the shadows. Harry and Draco hung back, hiding as best they could, wands pointed at the stair case. Crabbe came into view briefly before Severus ambushed him, silencing him with the full body bind and dragging him out of view of the stairs.

The makeshift leader of a Potions Master motioned them forward, up the stairs Crabbe was turning to head. This was it. Soon it would be three on three, an even match and all three of them knew it. As they rounded to corner of the staircase they noticed an open door with light flooding out of it, shadows moving around the room.

"Tell me, girl, where is it? I know the great Potter had it. You must know what he did with it," a voice rang out, though Harry had heard them talk so little he couldn't place it with a name.

"I'm telling you, I have no clue what you are talking about," Hermione responded sounding exhausted. Her voice was low and scratchy as if she hadn't had a drink of water in days. A pang of guilt and remorse shot through Harry's chest.

A loud smack echoed through the hallways and a short cry of pain escaped Hermione's lips. Harry couldn't take anymore. Pushing past Severus he quickly entered the room, stunning Macnair and turning on Avery. Quickly Draco and Severus were in the room as well, the Disillusionment removed, sending hexes at the other two in the room. Harry took the opportunity to rush to Hermione, freeing her of the ropes that bound her to the lone chair in the barren room.

"I should have known the traitors would show up. I'm just glad I can finally kill the pair of you," Nott said, sending a curse toward Severus, who easily dodged it. Harry sent a nonverbal stunning charm at the man, hitting him square in the chest. A moan of pain came from the other end of the room and Harry quickly turned to find Draco on the ground suffering a nasty Crucio. Severus sprang into action this time, shouting the Killing Curse, dropping Avery where he stood. He quickly moved to his Godson, treating him as best he could with what was on hand while Harry tended to Hermione.

"We have to get out of here. Can you walk?" he asked his best friend.

"Yes, I think so. They had only begun. I just woke up from the knock to the head they used to get me here. They took my wand."

Harry quickly moved to Nott and began searching the man's ragged cloak, locating the familiar wand in seconds. "You may have to use it, though we have taken care of most."

The young man looked over to his lover who was supporting a shaky Draco and took the lead, wand still poised at the ready. He was sure Travers had heard the commotion and would be on his way up, though he could have also taken the opportunity to flee to avoid being arrested. They moved much faster down, no longer worried about making noise. Two of the party needed medical attention and none of them wanted to stay.

The coast was clear until they reached the back door where Travers stood waiting for them. He fired the first spell, a cutting hex that hit Harry's wand arm. Harry hissed and fired back, simultaneously pushing Hermione out of the way. Travers dodged and a duel began, both men firing curses at one another, dodging and blocking as they went. Hermione tried to throw a couple, but she was still too weak from being knocked out to do much damage. Severus was situating Draco to help when Harry was hit squarely with Sectumsempra, dropping him to the floor.

* * *

Severus immediately sprang into action, picking up where the duel left off, firing spells with far more intensity than his dueler. Within minutes the other had succumbed to a well-placed Avada and instantly dropped to the floor, his eyes glazed over. The Potions Master rushed to the side of the man he cared so much for and began the counter curse, hoping it wasn't too late – that the amount of blood lost wasn't too much. He needed to get him stable enough to get back to Poppy. Everything would be fine if he could just make it back to the castle.

After several minutes the wounds closed, but Harry still would not wake and Severus knew his breathing was weak at best. He noted Draco, looking greatly improved, had moved over to Hermione and was helping her to her feet. "Severus, we need to go. Apparate him to Hogwarts. We will go on ahead to get Poppy and Minerva."

They stepped out into the night and were gone. Severus, fighting the panic building within him, gently lifted the Defense Professor into his arms and stepped out into the darkness, disappearing into the night only to arrive at the front gates of the school.

Exhaustion flooded the man with every step he took, the weight of the boy and the exertion of the night's activities taking its toll. By the halfway point he was winded and drenched in sweat, but he refused to slow down. Harry's life depended upon him and he refused to give in to weakness. As he reached the front door, Minerva and Poppy threw them wide and rushed out to the pair.

"Oh, Severus," was all Minerva could get out the sight. Poppy, on the other hand, was better prepared, already in the process of conjuring a stretcher.

"Set him on here and I will get him to the Hospital Wing," she said firmly. Severus could only nod. He noticed vaguely Hermione and Draco both were in the background, trying to avoid being in the way. The blonde caught his eye for a second, conveying he would inform the Headmistress of the night's events and all he could manage was a thankful nod.

As soon as Harry was on the stretcher Poppy was off, nearly running for the Hospital Wing. Severus slowly took off after her, knowing he would not be allowed to see him until she was done with her work. Each step took great effort and by the time he was in the Wing, he was being ushered to a bed by the Mediwitch with reassurances he could see the boy when he woke. Severus barely could stay awake long enough after hitting the bed to say thanks.

* * *

Sunlight filled the Hospital Wing, streaming in directly onto Harry, causing him to stir slightly as his brain registered the new light. Even with his eyelids closed he could see it. Every part of him ached and he longed to be able to go back to the comfort of sleep, but it was to no avail. Slowly his eyes opened revealing the white, sterile looking room he had spent much of his childhood recovering in. He clearly remembered the rescue attempt and cursed himself for allowing such an opening to be hit. He had passed out shortly after the curse hit him, only managing to hold it off long enough to know Severus had taken over the battle. The fact that he was in the Hospital Wing must mean Severus won, though Harry wasn't surprised by that.

He noted several voices that sounded distant, almost unreal, whispering frantically. He couldn't make out the words, but one of the voices stood out above the rest and he knew it was the man who saved him. Fighting the urge to drift back into the darkness of sleep he attempted to sit up, throwing off several of the blankets that covered him in the process. Immediately the voices came closer at an alarming rate and Harry, even in his groggy state fought to find his wand for protection. Fumbling around he managed to find his glasses, bringing the world into view. He relaxed slightly when he noticed Poppy, Minerva, and Severus all moving toward him.

"Good, you are finally awake," Poppy started, her voice stern and professional. "I was beginning to think you would never wake."

Harry looked confused. It had only be a night, right? At his look Severus shook his head and gently said, "Harry, you have been unconscious for three days now. Hermione was released yesterday and promised she would return this evening to check on you."

His eyes gave away his alarm, though he was struggling to speak. "Don't try. The spell did some minor damage to your vocal chords. It will be a few more days before you are able to use your voice. I can only speed up the process so much and the voice is a tricky thing to repair." Harry nodded and frowned.

He remembered getting hit with the curse, remembered the blood starting to ooze from his body and the pain. How had he ended up back at Hogwarts? And Hermione – Severus had mentioned her, but was she hurt? As if on cue Minerva brushed a strand of hair out of his face and whispered, "Hermione is fine. She had minor injuries, but nothing too severe. You were hurt the worst. If it weren't for Draco and Severus you never would have made it back."

He nodded and frowned deeper. He had failed. His skill was not up to where it should have been. Once again he let down the people around him – the people who were counting on him. The memories began to flood him, Cedric, Sirius, Dumbledore, Dobby, Remus, Tonks, Fred… the list went on and on, flashing through his mind. His breathing became shallow and his vision went black. He didn't even register the set of arms around him and the deep male voice telling him everything was alright. Harry drifted into an uneasy sleep of violence and death.

* * *

Severus held onto the young man, aware of the thoughts flooding the boy. He felt like a failure again only this time he was not capable of voicing it. He couldn't cry out and yell at the world. Instead he was trapped in his own thoughts and that was always a terrible place to be. He had gone through something similar when he killed Dumbledore. The Death Eaters hailed him as a hero, the Dark Lord gave him a place at his side, but inside he wanted to scream. The memory haunted him at night and in the silence. He had failed.

Harry's light breathing stirred him from his thoughts and he let the man go, moving instead to the chair beside the bed. He had occupied this chair for three days, only leaving when Poppy forced him to go shower or eat. He supposed he was going to have a few more days in the chair before Harry was strong enough to hear what Severus wanted to tell him. He had made a good fight. If the roles had been reversed, Severus could have easily fallen victim as well. It had been almost too easy to that point and Harry, protecting Hermione, was the first thing in the line of view. They had all expected Travers to run, not stand his ground. It didn't matter now – he had been killed within moments by a very angry Severus.

Getting comfortable he opened the Potions book he had brought with him and began to read, drifting off to sleep himself.

* * *

The days passed and Harry made vast improvements, gaining the ability to talk on the fifth day of his hospital stay. He had immediately apologized for being an idiot and Severus had to restrain from slapping him. The men spent most of the day playing chess, only speaking when Harry felt able. The young man was still weak from the recovery and speaking for too long hurt. In truth, neither man knew much of what to say. Severus had once again saved him.

Hermione had been by each night, filling him in on the latest happenings at the ministry. The Death Eater's that survived the surprise rescue mission were being tried and she had it on good authority they would receive lifetime sentences to Azkaban. She informed him Ron was reluctant to allow her to leave their apartment, though she laughed at him. He had been so busy with the paperwork involved with his job at the shop he had yet to be by himself. Harry found himself smiling and adding a few words here and there, but mostly was happy for his friend. She seemed to be taking everything in stride.

On the sixth day, Poppy released Harry to his chambers with the assurance he would allow Severus to check in on him. Harry couldn't express how much of a relief being in his own rooms was and he immediately set out for a hot shower. He had been warned not to overuse his voice, as he was still very weak. Most of the time when he spoke a raspy whisper that was hard to understand came out instead of his normal voice that was so full of life. As he stood under the steaming hot water he sighed in relief. All of the stress and guilt seemed to wash off with the dirt and grime, making him feel like a new person when he stepped out. He pulled on a pair of red and green flannel pajama pants and made his way to the couch.

"Dax!" he called into the nothingness, the raspy tone making him cringe. The small elf popped into existence before him, immediately dropping into a bow. "Would you mind bringing me black tea and a plate of sandwiches?"

"Of course, Harry Potter, sir," and he winked away, returning moments later with a kettle of hot tea and an assortment of sandwiches arranged neatly on a plate.

"Thank you," Harry said nodding his head and the elf winked away again. Taking a sandwich he stood and headed toward his desk where a stack of papers sat. Draco had been covering his classes as per his assignments and so Harry assumed these were the stacks of essays he had assigned for yesterday. Picking up a stack, a quill, and ink he moved back to the couch and poured himself a cup of the tea, taking the top most essay to grade.

Half way through the pile a knock on the door startled him and he waved it open, not bothering to check who it was. Only a handful of people would make the trek to his rooms to check on him at this time of day. He smiled shyly when Severus and Draco both appeared, taking a seat on the couch. He hadn't seen Draco since that night and he was sure Severus was partially responsible for the blonde's appearance in his rooms now.

"Draco, Severus," the raven haired young man acknowledged, "I'll get some tea."

Severus held up his hand, making his way into the small kitchenette to put the kettle on. Harry sighed. "I'm not an invalid, you know?"

Draco shook his head. "He never said you were, Harry, just that you look exhausted and comfortable." Harry sighed and Draco continued. "How are you?"

"Tired, but relieved. Everyone is safe and we accomplished what we wanted. I just wish I hadn't been so weak."

The blonde shook his head. "I was cursed too. I was just lucky it didn't last long. You were bleeding out and it could have been any of us. We are just lucky Severus was there." A mumble came from the kitchen and both young men shook their heads. It was no secret the older man hated any form of recognition, even when it was due.

"I still feel responsible. I endangered all of our lives and almost made the return to the castle impossible. I should never have let my skill set fall or become relaxed," Harry said, fighting back the tears of his past that were threatening to fall. He would not cry – crying did nothing. He had to learn. A sharp smack on the back of his head shocked him out of his thoughts. "What the hell was that for?"

Severus smirked, "I know you well enough to know you were heading down a dark path. Everyone made it to the castle alive. You will be back to fighting shape in a few days' time and we will all move forward. Stop judging yourself so harshly."

Draco nodded and Harry couldn't help smiling. Turning to Draco he asked, "How are my classes?"

The blonde laughed. "Just fine, Harry. Just fine."


	18. Fortunate Son

Chapter Seventeen: Fortunate Son

The Christmas holidays were two days away and Draco found himself dreading the break. Every morning he would receive at least two owls from his father, informing him the Parkinson's were requesting the marriage happen during them. What this meant was he either had to find a way to buy more time or win the heart of Ginerva Weasley in two days. Severus had noticed something was up with the man, though it wasn't something he could do anything about. Besides, he had his own form of happiness going; Draco didn't want to cause anything to bring him down. However, the man was acting like Draco was back in his sixth year, continually trying to get him alone to talk. Harry was no better.

Harry had been having more difficulties with his students from his rescue mission to save Granger. In truth, they all had. Somehow a photo of the three of them dressed in their battle outfits had made it to the front page of the paper and the whispers among the females were enough to cause the three men to want to avoid the main population of the school altogether. Harry had been hit the hardest by the sudden spark of interest, his female students had been doing everything they could think of to try and win his heart. This had only had one benefit - Ginny no longer looked the most desperate of them. While it was true she was still very much interested in the boy, she had taken a step back. While every other female in her grade were receiving point deductions and detentions she had managed to stay far away, her focus returning back to her studies.

Draco was having his own troubles. Since he had started teaching he was finding little time for anything else. In fact, outside of meal times he was barely having any contact with any of the staff between his rounds and grading. It was no secret that his class was one of the heaviest when it came to graded materials. He had already assigned more essays than Harry and Severus combined. Once a week he added a pop quiz to the mix, hoping to keep his students on top of their information. He had always enjoyed history, always placing second for the highest grade to Granger, most of the time within one point of her. Unlike most of his peers he always found the subject thrilling. Maybe it was his father's obsession with blood status that had originally intrigued him, but for as long as the blonde could remember he had always been fascinated with where the wizarding world came from and how they began.

Sitting at the small desk the castle provided in his rooms he sighed. The stack of essays he was trying to grade weren't getting any smaller due to his lack of concentration. Glancing at his clock he decided he would go for his rounds early, hoping that by the time he returned his concentration would be back at full alert. He had barely made it out of his room when he spotted the flaming red hair of the youngest Weasley. His heart immediately began to beat faster and he attempted to stifle his nerves.

"Good evening, Professor," she offered kindly, her voice not sounding completely trusting. He couldn't blame her for that.

"Good evening. What brings you to this part of the castle?"

"I was just taking an evening stroll, trying to clear my head some."

Draco nodded in understanding. He was doing the exact same thing himself. Turning to make his way the other direction Ginny's voice stopped him and held him in his tracks.

"Sir," she paused and Draco turned to look at her, hope and comfort gleaming in his eyes, "it's just that, you are rich. You have your family wealth and with your father in prison, you and your mother are free. Why did you come here?"

The question startled him. He couldn't very well tell her the truth, could he? Maybe this was just what he needed to get the edge in he needed. And she wasn't officially his student nor would she be. He wasn't qualified to take on the fifth, sixth and seventh years until his probation was done. In many ways this was good news for the young man – he was free to begin a relationship with the red head. However, he still had to win her over or talk Minerva into letting him stay on over the holidays with the excuse that he was desperately needed. He doubted that would truly work though; hardly any of the students were staying.

"I am not as fond of the family business as I thought I would be," Draco answered, looking her over.

The young woman shook her head. "That only explains why you don't want to continue on doing what your family did. You didn't answer why you came to work here. You could have done anything. Why did you come here?"

Draco sighed. "I'm seeking refuge, but don't let anyone else know."

Ginny laughed and he reveled in the sound. She hadn't laughed nearly enough since the final battle. "And what would the Slytherin prince be seeking refuge from? Perhaps your parole?"

The blonde frowned. It was no secret they had never been friendly. He had always known his father to despise Arthur Weasley and so he had followed suit for a while, until it was far too late to realize his mistake and do anything else. Part of him always knew it was wrong, but there wasn't much he could do to change it now. "Actually, I'm trying to avoid my father."

Now it was her town to frown. "I thought your father was in prison?"

"He is. He just has a nasty of habit of trying to make my life go in the direction that is most beneficial for him rather than what I want."

"Oh," was all the girl said, clearly thinking things over. "I know that feeling. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately and I think my mother planted ideas of what she wanted and I thought they were what I wanted. Turns out, the more I think things over the more I realize that her plans for me aren't really what I want out of my life at all."

Draco couldn't breathe for a moment. Was she admitting she didn't want Potter? Not that that meant she would want him, but that would explain the change in her demeanor. "Ms. Weasley, may I offer a word of advice?" She nodded and so he continued. "Follow your heart. Take enough time to figure out what you want out of life. After all, you are the one going to be stuck living it and I know firsthand living with regrets suck."

For a few moments both were completely silent, Ginerva clearly thinking over exactly what he had just said. And then, without warning, her lips were planted on his own, boldly and yet softly. He froze for a moment, his brain taking several seconds to catch up before he kissed her back, moving one hand to her waist and the other into her fiery red hair.

* * *

Harry was seated at his desk grading papers waiting for Severus to finish his meeting with Minerva. They had all been so busy lately with the term coming to a close he hadn't seen much of the man he was supposedly dating but they had planned for a small date after he was finished. Severus had said he would fire call the raven haired man when he was done and ready for their surprise date. Surprisingly the older man had taken a much more dominant role when they returned, choosing to initiate all of the contact they had. For the most part all time had allowed for were rounds and the occasional drink after.

Taking the essay he had just finished and moving it to the pile of those already graded he noticed a small note attached. Sighing he quickly picked it up and skimmed it before throwing it into the fire with a scowl. He had never thought someone would have managed to snap a picture of them after the battle. Hell, he had been unconscious for it, which he supposed wasn't a bad thing. He would have personally murdered whoever had managed it, though the fact Severus had been unaware shocked and scared him. The man was always on guard and if he had missed something so obvious that meant Harry had almost died or the man was slipping. Something told Harry it was more likely the first option.

The fire roared to life, green flames shooting out and the young man couldn't fight back the smile. "Are you ready, brat?" the voice of Severus questioned, his head becoming visible through the flames.

Harry nodded and the older man laughed. "Meet me at the Room of Requirements. I have a surprise set up there." The head faded and Harry took off at a run before realizing it wouldn't do for a student to see him. Walking as quickly as he could he made it to the Room of Requirements to find Severus waiting outside for him. "Welcome to our date."

* * *

Draco pulled away from the younger woman, causing a moan to escape her at the loss. He chuckled slightly. "Ginerva, before this goes further I think we need to talk, at least if this is something you want. I also have to make rounds still tonight. I need to know if this would be something you want to pursue."

Ginny nodded, her eyes lighting up slightly. "I don't know. I know I have had a crush on you for years. I always tried to cover it up because everyone always said I should be with Harry. I think I would like to try and talk about this. Perhaps I could come here tomorrow after classes?"

Draco smiled. This was a step, even if only a small one. "Sounds like a plan," he said gently, moving in to kiss her cheek. A light blush graced her face and he turned away, walking down the hall to start his rounds, a feeling of overwhelming accomplishment and joy rushing through him.

* * *

Harry was amazed when he entered the room. The lighting was dim – most of the room was lit by floating candles – and on the far wall was a giant screen. In front of the screen were dozens of pillows, several of which were oversized and all looked very plush and comfortable. On each side of the pillows there were mini tables, each only a few inches off the floor. A full table was set near him, separating the viewing area from where they would have dinner. "This is amazing. I never figured you for the classic date type of man."

Severus chuckled, sending shivers down the young man's spine. "I was raised in a Muggle home. Growing up we were poor and so the only times my family went on outings it was for fish and chips and a movie. I've seen the romantic comedies. I figured this might be something you were more comfortable with."

Harry smiled. "You could have just set up dinner in your room and I would have been happy, but this is more than I could ever have imagined. This is incredible. How did you get the technology to work here? I didn't think the castle would support anything electronic."

The coy look on Severus's face informed Harry the man would not be forthcoming with the answer. In confirmation the man said, "If I told you I wouldn't be able to surprise you with dinner and a movie anymore."

Harry shook his head. "In following with tonight's theme, I am assuming fish and chips are on the menu?"

At that moment a house elf appeared with two covered tray. He gently set the dishes down on the table and disappeared into thin air. Severus motioned for Harry to take a seat. The smell of fried fish wafted up from his plate and Harry's stomach let out a groan. Severus took his own seat and offered the young man a smile.

"Would you care for a beer? I have Dragon Scale or would you prefer a Butterbeer?"

"I have limited experience with anything alcohol so maybe try the Dragon Scale."

Severus nodded, pouring the contents of the bottle into a glass and handed it to him. Harry watched as the older man poured himself a drink. They fell into a comfortable silence as they ate, simply enjoying each other's company.

"Have you heard from Draco recently?" Harry asked.

Severus shook his head. "I have been busy, as you know, and all of my free time has gone to seeing you. I have noticed his peculiar behavior, but he has avoided me and I don't have the time to go hunt him down as I did when he was in his sixth year. Why? Have you heard something?"

It was Harry's turn to shake his head. He had noticed similar behavior, but with the added study groups and rounds all of his free time had gone to seeing Severus. "No. The last I had heard was his father was pushing the Christmas holidays for his wedding. I believe he was going to talk to Minerva about staying over to work the holidays, but with so few students staying I doubt she really could pull that off. All it would take would be for Pansy or her father to come here to know it is a ruse."

"I agree," Severus said, taking a sip of his beer. "Which leaves the question what do we do?"

Harry shook his head. "I don't know. He has been busy – we all have been busy – and he seems to avoid me most days. I don't know about his progress with Ginny, though she truly has been leaving me alone."

Severus nodded, but didn't say anything leaving Harry to his own thoughts. They needed to make more of an effort and they had a day and a day and a half to do so.

"I will go to Draco tomorrow morning. I need to offer far more help. Perhaps I can talk Minerva into making Draco Head of Slytherin. He would then be forced to stay as two of the students staying are Slytherin."

"It is a thought. Do you want to postpone the movie to speak with her?"

Severus shook his head. "I want to spend time with you. After the movie I will go and speak with the Headmistress. I know she will still be awake."

"Okay," Harry smiled, taking the last sip of the beer in front of him. "What is the movie?"

"Seeing as it is the holidays, I opted for an American classic, _White Christmas_."

Harry smiled and the pair made their way to the mountain of pillows, settling in together.

* * *

The hours passed quickly, the pair curled comfortably together. Severus admired the boy for within minutes he had settled against the older man's chest. Severus gently stroked his hair, losing himself in the soft feel. He couldn't help but take pleasure in the fact the boy was enjoying the film.

As the credits rolled Harry looked up at him, a huge smile plastered to his face. "Thank you."

Severus nodded. "You are welcome. Was that your first time watching?"

"Yes. I mean, Dudley generally watched TV all the time so it was always on. Petunia would punish me if I took any time to watch."

Severus had surmised as much. Years before they had been forced to undergo Occlumency lessons where Severus had gotten glimpses of the boy's unhappy home life. He had seen the large boy seated on the couch, shoveling food by the fistful into his mouth while Harry scrubbed the floor or made food. He could feel the shame poor into those memories and he hated the feeling. He knew that feeling.

In truth his father had been the same way. He would come home after getting drunk with the men he worked with and planted himself in front of the TV where he continued to drink. Every so often, when he thought one of his siblings weren't working hard enough he would throw an empty can at them, usually pegging them in the back. It was worse for his mother. She would take full beatings to protect the children. Severus had joined the Dark Lord to bring an end to abuse at Lucius's advice.

Harry's voice cut into his thoughts, pulling him back to reality. "It is getting late and you still need to see the Headmistress. Will I see you tomorrow?"

"Of course. I will be free around ten if you would like to come to my chambers." Harry nodded and smiled, opening the door to the hallway, admiring the castles knowledge. They were being let out just around the corner from the eagle statue guarding the Headmistress's office. Harry turned the other way and took off for the dungeons leaving Severus alone. Taking a deep breath he headed for the eagle.

* * *

Draco finished his rounds quickly that night, knowing he had much to think about. Tomorrow afternoon he would be the conversation of a lifetime. Yet there was still some urgency. He was set to be married over the holidays and he had no reason to postpone. The Headmistress had already excused him for the break; it would look suspicious if circumstances changed. Knowing that time was so short he needed to be honest with her and yet, he was fearful she would push him away for it.

Pouring himself a drink, he took a seat on his couch, propping his feet on the coffee table. A few strands of greasy blonde hair fell into his face from where the gel had stopped holding. He was styling it much differently now, slicked loosely to the side. When he became stressed he found he played with it more and more, causing the gel to stop holding and leaving him with a greasy mess by this time of night. Most nights it annoyed him into going to his bathroom but tonight he had too much on his mind to care.

Taking a sip of the whiskey he cringed slightly. He had never been skilled at drinking, though his father made sure he did at every Death Eater gathering. How else was he supposed to gather information on the plans of the lower few? Again he cringed, only this time was due to the memories. His life had not been his own. He was fool to think with the war over his life would change.

If she had known, ever knew, of the things he had seen and done she would never want him. There was no way he could make her want him and yet, her words tonight proved otherwise. He took another drink and sighed. Drinking would not drown his thoughts but it sure made remembering them easier. He could understand why his godfather often turned to the drink. Sighing, his thoughts returned to how the conversation was going to have tomorrow, weighing all of the possible outcomes. Her words played over and over in his head, the subtle smile she gave him while they talked. That kiss had been something else altogether. It was the very thing he had dreamed about for the past year, though the real thing felt much better.

Quickly finishing his drink he headed for the shower, resolving himself to a life with a loveless marriage.

* * *

Severus stood before the heavy oak door leading to the office of the Headmistress, hesitation in his step. Never before had he been worried about a conversation with the older woman, but his godson's future happiness was hanging on this. Taking a steadying breath he knocked on the door, the three solid raps ringing out into the stillness of the night. "Come in," the curt Scottish voice called.

Pushing open the door, evoking a creaking sound, he stepped in on silent feet, moving to the desk. There were a few new trinkets lining the shelves and several books were scattered around the various tables. It was obvious the old woman was researching something, though he was not investing much thought to that at the moment. He took the seat in front of the desk. "Severus," she acknowledged, looking over to him. "I am sure whatever brings you to me this time of night cannot be good. What is it?"

"I am here to speak of Draco, actually."

Minerva shook her head and let out a light laugh. "I assumed as much. What has happened?"

Severus took a breath, scowling at the woman. "Lucius has been working behind the scenes to ensure Draco marries over the break."

"I knew this."

"I would like you to think about employing Draco as the Head of Slytherin House. I know he is still on parole and isn't teaching a full schedule yet, but perhaps he could oversee the Slytherin's staying alongside myself? I would then hand over the position at the start of next year, leaving me with more brew time."

Minerva paused for a few minutes, clearly weighing the pros and cons. Finally, a smile played to her face revealing her hand. He knew then she was already planning for this and was merely waiting for him to bring it to her. Dumbledore had always attempted to do the same with him, though having served two masters he had learned to read it.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea. We are all getting older and fresh blood will be a good thing. Would you like to tell him or should I send him a letter?"

"I will stop by on my way to the dungeons and inform him. I assume you will take care of Lucius?" he asked, standing from his chair.

"Of course, Severus." He nodded and took his leave, allowing the door to thud shut.

He made his way on light feet to the door of his godson, hoping the man was still awake. When questioned by the portrait as to his business he sent the painting to get his godson under strict orders from the Headmistress. Of course the blonde opened the door quickly, a shocked look plastered to the boy's face.

"What are you doing here?"

"I have news."

"At this time of night?" the boy questioned fearfully, assuming the worst.

Severus nodded. "Nothing to worry about just something that needs to be handled timely and privately." He put the emphasis on 'privately'. Draco nodded and stepped aside, turning sideways to allow him entrance.

When both men had seated themselves Draco turned, a fear stricken look on his face. "What is it?"

"You are being promoted."

"What?" Draco asked stupidly. "What are you talking about?"

"You are being made Head of Slytherin House. I will be training you during the rest of this year and then you will take over next. You will be forced to stay over the holidays and the Headmistress is writing a letter to your father as we speak."

Draco couldn't help the smile that lit up his face. "I'm assuming this was your idea?"

Severus shook his head. "The Headmistress was prepared to do so. She merely wanted to see how long it would take me to ask."

"Thank you for your help."

"I've been meaning to ask you how things are going with your classes?"

Draco shook his head. "It is exhausting. I have more grading to do and I don't even have full classes yet. I can't imagine what it is going to be like when I do. I doubt I will have time for anything else."

Severus laughed. "I doubt you will believe this, but things do get easier."

"Yes, says the man who hates teaching."

"I do not hate teaching. I hate teaching dunderheads who do not want to learn."

Draco laughed heartily. "You have just described all of my students. It is late and we both have early mornings. I appreciate your help, truly, and I will see you at breakfast tomorrow."

"Sleep well, Draco."


	19. Deadlines

A/N: I apologize for being a couple days late with this post. I was called out of town this weekend and didn't have a moment to write or post anything. Without further ado, chapter eighteen.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, literally.

Chapter Eighteen: Deadlines

Harry awoke early the next morning, excitement and dread both filling him. He was excited today was the last day of classes for the students. Tomorrow most would be boarding a train and heading for their homes, leaving him some free time for the first time in months. Don't misunderstand, Harry Potter loved his job. Every day was a new challenge and yet, there were no dangers involved. Things had calmed down in the school since his own time spent here as a student, mostly because he had killed the main person behind all of the uproar. The scariest thing going on right now happened to be Peeves, a right relief for the young man.

Stretching he made his way to his bathroom to shower and ready for the day. He made the conscious decision to skip his daily workout to speak with Draco before breakfast. He felt terrible that Severus and he had basically ignored the man who was going through the worst time in his life. Though, Draco hadn't made things easier on them. It was as though the boy didn't want to admit he was going through hell or didn't realize he finally had friends. Either way, Harry was planning on putting a stop to it this morning.

Quickly he dressed and headed for Draco's rooms, the rooms attached to his own classroom. There were plans in the work to move him into the attached rooms to the History classroom over break. It would help with his new duties, assuming Severus had managed to work everything out. The rooms were just a touch closer to the dungeons and knowing the castle, a passageway would appear, making the distance even easier. Arriving at the portrait of Iris Pius Harry politely asked her to go and get Draco, a process that only took a few moments for the portrait to swing open and allow him entrance.

"Harry, what brings you here so early?"

"I was hoping we could talk for a few before breakfast. I feel like I have been a horrible friend as we haven't spoken in nearly two weeks."

Draco chuckled. "Part of that was my doing. I know how busy my godfather and you have been. I didn't want to add to that, but I am glad you are. I am sure you were in on the scheming to make me head of Slytherin House at the start of next school year?"

Harry nodded, a guilty look coming to his face. Before he could say anything Draco gave a huge smile and offered his thanks.

"Without the two of you I would be heading to the manor tomorrow to become married to Pansy. Mr. Parkinson is probably fuming at the moment, but I have spoken to Pansy and she is relieved. I am sure there will be a Howler from father, but there is a benefit to being on staff."

"Let me guess," Harry began, a smile joining his own face, "the Howlers get sent directly to your chambers?"

"Exactly." Both boys laughed. Harry was happy to know things were beginning to work out for the other man. They sat for the next half hour talking away about everything from classes to the school Quidditch teams. Finally Draco asked the question that had been hanging over Harry's head since the previous evening.

"Is Severus not planning on coming back next year?"

"You thought that too with this appointment?"

Draco nodded. "It is the only thing that makes sense. He would never give up the one thing about teaching that gives him pleasure unless he wasn't planning on coming back."

"I know. I honestly don't have the answer. It hasn't been something we have discussed. I'm not sure I want to know the answer."

"What else would he do?"

Harry had to shake his head. "I offered him help if he wanted to start his own apothecary at the beginning of summer while he was still in the hospital."

"I'm surprised he didn't take that immediately. It would give him free time to brew and invent, but he would make good money as well."

"I think he was afraid his name would drive away customers. His reputation wasn't favorable until the final battle and even then there are still those that want him dead or don't trust him. Inside the castle walls he has some protection from that and I think in a lot of ways that was too good to pass up. No one profession locks you away from the world for ten months out of the year."

They were silent for several minutes, both thinking it over. Draco broke the silence, "So I did the exact same thing he did."

"What do you mean?"

"I am hiding behind teaching as well. I'm escaping the blasted marriage my father arranged and Severus is avoiding the public. It's brilliant, really."

Harry chuckled. "Two of the bravest men I know and both are hiding away in a school. What is this world coming to?"

* * *

Severus sat at his desk, quill in hand, angrily marking the last of the essays. He had been up all night – not because of the pile of essays but because his mind wouldn't give him peace. Every time he had tried to sleep his mind flooded him with images of life when he was Death Eater, images of Harry dead at the hands of the Dark Lord, or Draco married to the Parkinson girl while both of their fathers laughed. It was enough to drive him to drink and drink he had before drowning out his thoughts with the pathetic words of his students. No one grasped the nuances of potion making. The last person to have come close was a know it all bookworm. She had proven how inept she was in the subject in her sixth year when his old textbook had outsmarted her, giving Harry the top mark. Any true potioneer would have been able to work out how to make the instructions, and thus the potions, better.

Normally this thought would have pissed him off just by itself but he was already so far gone the pathetic excuses had managed to force his anger and fear into another form. Deep down he felt slightly sorry for taking out his wrath on his students but, then again, they deserved it for handing in shotty work. Stretching he cast a tempus charm, cursing slightly to realize it was indeed time for breakfast. He rose and headed straight for the shower, turning the water on as hot as he could tolerate, taking only minutes to wash himself. He used a charm to dry off and dressed quickly in his standard attire before making his way to the Great Hall, now only ten minutes late.

As he arrived he caught the eyes of both Harry and Draco and had to fight back the smile. It was obvious the two had talked sometime since last night and were both more laid back for it. Neville was discussion something with them excitedly and Severus assumed it was something to do with plants. As he approached the table he was proven at just how wrong his assumption was.

"Kingsley approached me last weekend and made me an offer to join the Aurory. I never thought I would be asked to join. He said they are hurting for numbers. He also asked if I would mention it to both of you. He said he needs people like you on the force. He also said he was going to see Ron to ask him back. I asked for some time to make my decision."

Severus noticed the stunned looks on Harry's and Draco's faces. He was sure his own shock was better masked, though he had much more practice than the boys. Draco recovered first. "What are you planning on telling him?"

"No. I have no desire to fight anymore battles and the everyday policing of the wizarding country just doesn't seem exciting. After everything I have found where I want to be."

Harry smiled, "I agree. My entire childhood up to this point has been spent fighting dark wizards. It is someone else's turn."

"I actually thought about joining the Aurory before my father decided to arrange my marriage. I know I wasn't a fan of the family business, but I also have seen how dark wizards think and feel I would have done a good job. However, now that I am here, I actually am finding I enjoy teaching. I can't imagine do anything else. Besides, I'm helping prevent future generations from making the mistakes of our past."

Severus was stunned. He hadn't known that about his Godson, but it made sense. He had spent his entire life learning how to become a dark wizard against his will; of course he would want to try and combat that. However, it seemed that Draco was realizing just what an impact teaching could have. "When are you to give your answer, Professor Longbottom?"

All three men jumped, causing Severus to smile inwardly. "I told him I would let him know by the end of the week. He plans on coming to the castle to talk to all three of us."

Severus nodded and the group fell silent, eating their breakfast. As the breakfast hour ended, the four said their goodbyes, Severus' silently nodding to the others before making his way to the dungeons to face his first class of fourth years.

* * *

Draco sat at his desk as classes ended, silently cursing the day he had. He had never known students to behave the way they did today. Most of his lessons were spent quieting his students and trying to inspire his classes to study over the break. The only thing that was carrying him onward was the thought of speaking with Ginny. Currently he was working on his lessons plans for after the break, though he was so distracted not much was being accomplished. A knock on his door sent him into a panic and in his rush he sent a stack of papers to the ground. Ignoring them he flung the door open, revealing the very red head he was awaiting.

"Please, come in," he offered, allowing her entrance.

"Is now a good time?"

"Of course. Please, have a seat. May I offer you a drink?"

"No, thank you."

"Ok." They fell into an awkward silence, unsure of what to say to one another. "I know you have no reason to trust me, but I truly do like you. I have for some time."

He watched Ginny shake her head, her red hair flinging back in forth with each movement. "I trust you. I have since your trial. I had a crush on you last year, though it wasn't something I was willing to act on. I thought you were with the Death Eaters then."

"I understand. I know my family has done some awful things to your family, myself included, and I would like to apologize. My childhood was confusing at best. There were certain things expected of me and certain things I had no desire to partake in. My father made sure my choices were following in his line of thought and the only person to encourage me to think for myself was my godfather.

"I know this doesn't make up for my treatment, but I am truly sorry. There is something else I want to say before we decide where we want to go from here. I am engaged to be married, though it is not something I want. My father has arranged a marriage for me with Pansy Parkinson. I originally took the job here to avoid it for as long as I could."

Ginny sat in silence as Draco waited on baited breath. "I accept your apology. I want to see where things go with you. I understand that timing may be limited, but perhaps we can date through the rest of the year. If we like where we are then we will talk to my father and I will help you get out of the marriage. If not I will view it as no harm, no foul."

Draco smiled. It was more than he could hope for. "I am staying over the break. Maybe we can do dinner in your chambers one night?"

"That sounds fantastic."

Ginny stood and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Then I will await your owl." She opened the door and disappeared down the hallway, leaving him feeling happier than ever.

* * *

Harry closed his lesson plans having finished preparing for when they would return from holiday, feeling much more excited than he probably should. For the first time in weeks he would actually have some time to spend with his boyfriend. He could almost skip to dinner he was so happy. The only downside to the day had been his students. They had all behaved like heathens and Harry couldn't remember every acting that way as a student. Sure, he had been excited for the opportunity to explore the castle without the interference of schoolwork, but he had always remained respectful. He was sure he had a look of exhaustion on his face because of it.

Arriving at dinner he noticed similar looks on the faces of the other professors – all save for one. The blonde looked happy, leaving Harry with more questions than answers. Taking his seat he nodded to Severus, receiving a curt grunt in return. Draco smirked and leaned close to him, whispering snidely in his ear.

"Rough day?"

"You have no idea. What are you so happy about?"

"Oh, nothing. Just got a bit of good news."

Harry shook his head. "Perhaps you would like to come to my chambers after dinner for a celebratory drink? I've already invited Neville and Severus."

At that moment the older man leaned over and quietly stated, "If you don't keep quiet all of the professors are going to be in your chambers tonight."

Draco laughed. "Sounds like a plan."

It was too late though as Minerva had overheard their talk. "As you will already have most of the staff in your chambers perhaps you would be willing to host a poker game tonight. Say around 9? You don't get Teddy until tomorrow so this would be perfect!"

There wasn't much he could say to the Headmistress other than to agree. The scowl Severus shot him was enough to sicken his stomach. He stood and left dinner to go and prepare for the large party that would be arriving.

Precisely at nine his portrait came to inform him of the large group at his door. Taking a deep breath he responded, allowing the party entrance. Severus, Draco and Neville were the first through the door followed closely by Minerva, Pomona and Rolanda.

"Please, have a seat and make yourself at home. I have set out several drink choices already set out – feel free to help yourselves."

Immediately Minerva and Rolanda made their way to the makeshift bar, grabbing a glass of Firewhiskey each. Severus also took a glass of Firewhiskey. Draco and Neville both preferred the Butterbeers. Pomona went for a glass of honey mead. After mingling for several minutes they took a seat around the table.

"What shall we play?" Minerva questioned, grabbing the deck of cards from the center of the table. "Texas Hold 'Em, Omaha Hi, or Seven Card Stud?"

No one spoke so she turned to Harry. "As host, why don't you pick?"

"The only game I know is Texas Hold 'Em. I've only seen it played once."

"Then Texas it is and I will explain the rules as we go."

Severus scowled and Harry had to fight back the smile. Deep down he knew tonight would be fun, though he had been hoping for a quiet evening with just his friends. Settling himself in, he smiled and began to play.

* * *

Severus spent the night observing. The three female teachers were almost to the point of drunkenness and were beginning to sloppily make advances on their former students. The blush that crossed Neville's face was enough to make the night worthwhile and yet, he found he was not enjoying himself. He was winning handily, the years of practicing showing no emotion paying off in this game of betting. Draco was in second and surprisingly, Harry was right behind the other man. Neville and Pomona had already lost all the money they were willing to bet tonight and so were just watching and drinking.

Rolanda was chatting up Harry about flying, trying to gently touch his arm. This sent waves of jealousy flowing through the older man's veins, even though Harry was either oblivious to the attention or ignoring it. Even though he knew the night would be ending soon it wasn't enough to stifle his urge to strangle the woman. This was also interfering with his ability to think straight for the game. To prove this fact he had just misread Draco and lost a significant amount of his gained money. Determined to regain his focus he shot a glare to Harry and looked at the cards he was being dealt from Minerva.

"I think this may have to be the last round. We all have to be up early tomorrow to supervise the students before they leave," Minerva stated, smiling to her own hand. Her think Scottish accent was heavier than normal and was slightly slurred, an obvious sign she had had too much to drink. He made a mental note to prepare four bottles of hangover potion for the morning.

The round went by quickly, Severus winning the large last pot. Minerva had tried to bluff badly by going all in quickly; in her drunken state her facial expressions were a dead giveaway. Harry wisely had folded quickly leaving Rolanda, Draco and himself. Draco was betting conservatively, as was his pattern, but from the betting habits of Rolanda, the older man knew she had something. He had won with four 10s and an ace kicker. Draco had come close with king high flush.

"Well, thank you all for coming. I will see you all at breakfast," Harry said, opening the door. Severus stayed seated, his silent offer to help the young man clean. The others trickled out, Rolanda still making a drunken pass at Harry while Pomona was trying to feel up Neville. Severus had to restrain the urge to roll his eyes and opted for a scowl. When they finally all left he noted the look of relief on the boy's face.

"I never want to have to host one of those again. That was exhausting."

"Indeed."

"And Hooch, I mean, I tried to even act disinterested and she still didn't get the hit. I never knew they could drink that much and it was just downright awful. I can see why you didn't want to go to poker night earlier."

Severus chuckled, instantly calming down. "Let me help you clean up and then I will give you a massage to help you relax from that."

"Thank you," Harry said quietly and both men set to work. Within a half hour the chambers were spotless and the dishes were drying, waiting to be put away.

"Come and sit," Severus ordered, motioning to the couch. He moved behind the couch and placed his hands gently but firmly on his shoulders, kneading the muscles. Quickly he found a set of tension knots he set to work on, resulting in moans from the young man. Severus had to fight down the urge to take the boy right there.

Never before had he felt this way about someone, including Lily, and that scared him. He was in deeper than he had ever been in a relationship and yet, it felt completely normal. There was no stress or pressure to be perfect. He could be himself and this brilliant young man still tolerated him, even liked him. And he felt the same way. It was incredible and an amazing feeling. Yet, it was scary. He had opened himself up for these feelings. He had opened himself up for another person to begin to know him on a deeper level.

Once the knots had been worked out he joined Harry on the couch. Immediately the young man moved to lean his head on Severus's shoulder, a welcome feeling. Contentedly they sat in silence, watching the fire crackle. After a solid half hour Harry spoke, his voice soft and deep from the late hour. "Would you like to stay the night?"

"I am not sure that would be a good idea for tonight," he said gently, taken aback by the question. He could see the hurt look briefly cross the boy's face before the neutral look was back.

"I understand."

"No, what I mean is I would love to stay over tonight, but there are still students within the castle. If one of the Slytherins needed me they wouldn't know where to find me. After we announce Draco's position tomorrow I would love to stay over, but for tonight, I believe I am needed in my own rooms."

Harry's look of understanding and excitement sent warmth throughout Severus's body. It was a feeling he was unaccustomed to, but was pleasant. Again the young man recovered quickly, not wanting to seem too childlike. "I understand. Thank you for your help tonight." He moved to the door, opening it wide for the older man. "I will see you tomorrow."

It was a question more than a statement and Severus nodded. He was actually looking forward to it. For once in his life, the older man felt loved and wanted. For the first time in years, Severus Snape, bat of the dungeons was happy. They shared a brief kiss, both feeling the exhaustion creeping up on them, and then, in a blink of the eye, the older man disappeared into the darkness of the hall before entering his own chambers.

* * *

Harry smiled as he shut his door, moving on silent feet to his bedroom. He blew out the candles on the way, making sure all lights other than the dancing fire were extinguished. Entering his bedroom he couldn't help the happy feeling flooding him. He was wanted. Severus wanted him and he was in love.

'I can't admit that, but I do. I love him.' It was a liberating ideal, a sense of pride and understanding all at once. It was the beginning and the end and his entire being all rolled into one feeling, one thought. There were no words to describe it, part of the reason he couldn't admit it to anyone, including the man who was evoking these feelings. Climbing into the bed he gripped himself tightly, imagining what it would be like when they first made love. He didn't last long with his train of thought, shooting lines of sperm into his hand.

Casting a nonverbal cleansing spell, he cleaned himself and rolled over, drifting off to sleep within seconds, his dreams continuing where his imagination left off.


	20. Winter

A/N: Sorry this is several days late. If I could describe last weekend without it sounding like fiction, I would. We had yellowjackets and were forced into a hotel is the much shortened version of everything that occurred. Without further ado, here is chapter nineteen.

Chapter Nineteen: Winter

The first snowfall of the season came as the train pulled out, leaving a dusting on the ground. Severus hated the snow. In his past it had always meant having to take more precautions as his tracks were visible in the snow. However, he was now trying to change his image. This year he had something to look forward to, even if it was just relaxing with his significant other. Unfortunately his start to said break was as one of the escorts to the train. Now he was making the long walk back, having to listen to Pomona and Septima talk about the newest additions to the Hogwart's staff. Knowing he should ignore them he couldn't help but listen with disdain.

Currently they were talking about the Boy Who Lived in detail, describing every good quality of his body in painstaking detail. He was having to restrain himself completely from snapping at them for their childness, though it wouldn't do much good. This was something he had been dealing with since he became a staff member, though usually he was the target. Now, it was someone he cared about and that was making it all the more difficult to handle.

"And have you noticed his abs? It is clear he still works out," he heard Septima comment and found himself scowling.

"I know and that arse. It is clear he could have gone on to have a career in Quidditch as well."

"Must you two discuss your fellow staff members in such a grotesque manner?" he growled, snarling to the women he was forced to be with.

They merely rolled their eyes and continued chatting, making sure to talk as loudly as they could. Severus continued to scowl as he entered the castle, breaking off from the chatty duo to head to his chambers. If he was a betting man he would bet Harry was still asleep, having missed breakfast in the Great Hall. It had been a long night for the boy, entertaining the masses. The only plus side was Septima had not been invited. That would have spelled disaster for the young man.

Taking a seat on his couch he summoned an elf to bring him a cup of tea. With no papers to grade and minimal students to manage, Severus was determined to enjoy his holiday. The knock at the door startled him. He wasn't expecting anyone this early, especially after the previous night. Standing he made his way to the door, opening it with a creak.

"May I come in?" Harry asked, a smile on his face. Severus nodded and stepped to the side.

"I can offer you tea." The younger man nodded and he set to work fixing a cup.

"I was invited to the Burrow on Christmas. Ginny chose to stay here to work on her final project. I'm thinking of going."

In all honesty he had expected this. The young man was like a second son to the Weasleys. It was not surprising they would want him for the holiday. "I don't see why you shouldn't. Have you spoken to Minerva?"

"Not yet. I wanted to talk to you first. I want you to come with me."

That was shocking. He was not expecting Harry to want to bring him along. "I am sure I would not be wanted. The invite was for you, not me." He watched the frown form on Harry's face.

"I want you with me. I am seeing you. Everyone likes you. We have had dinner with Ron, Hermione, and George. Please, come with me."

"Harry, none of that has anything to do with the upcoming holiday. It will cause people to talk. Are you sure you are ready to deal with the implications?"

The younger man looked startled, the thought clearly never crossing his mind. Severus had figured as much. Dinner was easier to pull off they were just friends as it was a gathering of friends. The holidays were a time for family. It may be too obvious for Harry's liking and Severus didn't want to force that on him.

"I still want you to come," Harry finally said confidently. "I am not ashamed of being with you and if the Weasleys can't accept us, I'm not sure I want to be there. You have become as much my family as they are."

Severus fought the urge to shake his head. It would be completely outside of his comfort zone, but he didn't want to upset Harry. "All right, I will come. But if I am asked to leave, don't be surprised."

"Thank you, Severus."

* * *

Draco awoke to the sound of his guardian portrait informing him someone was at the door. Groggily he made his way to the door, mentally cursing who ever got him out of bed. Pulling the door open he was surprised to find Ginny standing there in a pair of jeans and a hoodie.

"Come in," he said, stepping to the side. "What are you doing here?"

She didn't speak but moved toward him, pressing her body flush against his. Within seconds he closed the gap between their lips, his hands tangling themselves in her fiery red hair, cradling her head. Time seemed to stand still in that moment as the passion and need pulsed through them. When they broke apart they were winded, their eyes dark with lust.

"Good morning," she said coyly, smiling up at him.

"If that is your way of saying good morning I could get use to this," Draco stated his voice heavy with lust.

"That was my goal. I was hoping we could do dinner here tonight. I want to get to know you better."

Draco nodded. "I would enjoy that, but rather than eating here, why don't we meet at the Room of Requirements at seven? It may feel more like a date than hiding away here."

"Sounds great!" she responded excitedly, kissing him once more before practically bolting from his room.

Draco shook his head and headed for the shower. There was no going back to bed after that.

* * *

Harry sat at the Head Table looking out over the nearly empty hall. Minerva had suggested putting the school at one table, but there were a few too many for that to work. He loved this time of year, but now he understood the professors' perspectives. Shame had filled him when he confessed to wishing they were all going home. Severus had told him it was normal. Now, all he could focus on was his evening with Severus.

They had both agreed to spend each evening together to continue to get to know one another. It was also the added bonus of not having to spend time teaching or constantly rounding up children. There would be no interruptions and that would be a first for the past few months.

Harry noticed Severus stand to leave, a scowl plastered to his face. Either that was for the remaining students or something had happened. Either way, he was sure he would hear about it. He was so lost in thought he almost didn't notice Minerva speaking to him.

"I'm sorry, what?" he asked, a light blush filling his cheeks.

"I asked if you had plans for the holiday. I would be surprised if Molly hadn't invited you. She invited most of the Order."

"Oh, yes, she asked me to come. I was hoping to go and was going to come and speak with you about it tomorrow."

Minerva gave him a rare smile. "Of course. Christmas is a time for family." Harry nodded and stood to leave when the Scottish woman spoke again. "And Harry, take Severus with you. He could with some time out of the castle."

Harry could have sworn there was a twinkle in her eye as he left the Great Hall. His thoughts carried him to the portrait guarding Severus' chambers. Harry was surprised when it opened automatically.

"Severus?" he called as he stepped inside, noting the large amount of candles as the only light.

"In the kitchen, Harry."

"What is all of this?" he asked in awe.

Severus smiled, moving around the counter with a tray in his hands. Harry noted the opened bottle of wine and two glasses on said tray. "I thought you might enjoy a peaceful evening in."

"I would, but I still wasn't expecting this. This is way more than I was expecting. You are amazing." Harry waited until Severus had set the tray down before violently kissing him. This was far more than the younger man had ever imagined Severus had never struck him as the romantic type.

Severus pulled away gently. "I take it you are pleased," he said lightly taking a seat on the couch. Harry chuckled and joined him. "Wine?" Severus asked, pouring two glasses worth.

"How could I say no?"

The older man handed him a glass before taking a drink from his own. "How did Draco seem when you spoke to him?"

"He seemed happy, but is that really what you want to talk about right now?"

Severus shook his head. "I am not sure what else to talk of. I know how your week went and I know what you did today. You know all of the same information about me? What more is there?"

"Are you making Draco Head of Slythering because you plan on not teaching next year?" The question was out of Harry's mouth before he could stop it and Severus looked taken aback. Harry briefly thought about apologizing, but they were in a relationship and he wanted to know.

"I was planning on buying a shop in Hogsmeade over the summer. I am not fond of teaching children without potential in my field and would like to spend the remainder of my days doing something I enjoy. You put the idea in my head and I believe it would be the best option for me."

Harry smiled. "I am truly happy for you. If this is what you want I think it is a great fit. What does it mean for us?"

"What do you want it to mean for us?"

Harry paused, contemplating the best way to answer. "I love you, Severus, and want you to be a part of my life."

* * *

Severus Snape sat in shocked silence. No one beyond his mother had ever admitted to loving him. He had never allowed anyone close enough. With Draco, love wasn't something they discussed, preferring to show each other through actions than speak the words. He was not sure how he was supposed to respond, though he could see the look of hurt beginning to form on the young man's face.

"It's okay, Severus, you don't have to say anything. I just wanted you to know how I feel," Harry stated looking at his wine glass.

He nodded. This was deeper than he ever committed to anything. The last time he had been this close he had had his heart ripped out by the boy's mother, though he didn't know he was homosexual at that point. Hell, it wasn't something he had ever thought would happen. "Harry, I care for you. I truly do, but that is a step I have never been close enough to a person to even consider making this step. I know this may upset you and that is not my intent, but I am just not ready to make this step."

Harry nodded, though he still looked upset. "I understand. I only began to know love when I got here. Someday I will make you change your mind about love and when that happens, we will begin to plan our lives together."

Severus barely held back the amazed look. There was so much understanding in the young man that it was overwhelming. After the life he had with the Dursleys and then having to fight the Dark Lord throughout his entire childhood, he was expecting a far different approach. "What do you want for Christmas?" he asked the boy-who-lived, wanting nothing more than to change the subject.

"Oh…you don't have to get me anything. You coming to the Weasley's is enough."

Severus nodded. He wasn't sure what exactly he had expected. The boy was modest and rarely thought of himself. Why he had thought he would willingly come up with something, Severus was unsure.

They fell into an awkward silence and Severus felt extremely guilty for. "Harry, I hope I didn't upset you. I don't want to hurt you ever. I care deeply about…"

Before he could continue the young man cut him off. "It's fine, Severus, really." The young man finished his wine and stood. "Last night was a long one and I am still recovering. Perhaps we can continue this tomorrow night after I get Teddy."

"Of course, Harry. I will see you tomorrow," he said sounding defeated. Tonight had not gone according to plan all because of his stupid self-preservation. Sighing in frustration he threw his almost empty glass at the wall, shattering it into a million shards of glass, and then went to bed.

* * *

Draco paced his rooms before going to meet Ginny for dinner. He was nervous and that frightened him. Malfoys did not get nervous, especially for dates. He had been taught that by both his grandfather and father since his birth and his only chance at a happy future.

At six forty he began to make his way up the many flights of stairs to the R.O.R. The last time he had been here the whole place had been on fire, but instinctively the castle had managed to repair it, sensing the need was still there. The blonde was not surprised to find three house elves waiting for him, as per his request.

"Thank you all for this. I would ask one of you to want out here for Ms. Weasley to arrive. It will be your duty to bring her in."

The smallest nodded and moved beside the door as if a guard. Draco paced the door three times and then entered. The room was perfect. Near the door sat a couch and chairs, the walls mimicking a library. A table was set in the middle with a chess board. The rear wall had a fireplace with a roaring fire. A small dining table was beside it with three candles of different heights as the centerpiece. A bottle of sparkling moscato was chilling in an ice bucket. It was perfect and he was hoping she truly enjoyed it.

The creaking of the door opening alerted him to the arrival of his date and he turned, offering his hand out to greet her.

"This is incredible. How did you manage this?"

Draco smiled coyly. "I'm not giving away all of my trade secrets. May I offer you a drink?"

"I didn't think I was supposed to have alcohol?" Ginny responded, doing her best impression of innocence she could.

"This is a special occasion, Ms. Weasley. What would you like for dinner? The house elves will make anything you would like," he said gently, motioning her toward the couch before going off to pour her a glass.

"So this is what a date with Draco Malfoy looks like?" she teased, taking the drink from his hand.

"This is just the beginning."

He watched her turn to the house elf nearest them and order an herb roasted chicken with potatoes and green beans. The elf nodded and turned to him.

"I would like lemon baked salmon on a bed of rice with asparagus and squash as the sides." Again the elf nodded and then disappeared, leaving only one behind in the room to pour the wine.

"Tell me why you don't want to marry Pansy. I thought you two were destined for each other while in school," Ginny demanded and Draco nearly dropped his drink from her forwardness.

"Honestly that was about keeping up appearances. I had a role to play. Now I want to marry for love. Pansy doesn't love me. All she wants from me is my money."

"How do you know that isn't what I want?"

"That is not the Weasley way. I would like to think I know you better than that."

Ginny smiled coyly. "Well I'm glad you know that about me. What about your father? Won't he be upset you aren't going through with his wishes?"

Draco nodded. "I am sure you know all ready how he will react to this. Of course he will be upset. However, I don't care. My parents married out of duty and I refuse to follow in their footsteps. I refuse to let my father ruin my life and my future. I refuse to give him that much power again.

"Now I must ask you, why are you so interested in my dealings with my father?"

"I want to see how you react and if you are truly serious about this. I like you, Draco, but there are a lot of trust issues left over from our childhood. You were raised to hate my family and I want to know for sure that you have changed."

Draco took a drink and nodded. "I understand that, and I apologize for everything I have done in the past. I was trying so hard to be the child my father would finally be proud of and it turned out I was not the person I wanted to be. I hated the person I was becoming, but by the time I realized that, I was trapped by the Dark Lord. There wasn't much I could do for myself at that point."

Draco was shocked by the facial expression on Ginny's face. "I know how manipulative Tom could be."

That took Draco by surprise. He had never heard someone refer to the Dark Lord as Tom outside of Dumbledore. How did you come to know him as Tom Riddle?"

"In my first year, that whole nonsense with the Chamber of Secrets – I was behind all of that. Unknowingly, mind you. Through an old journal he possessed me, forced me to do all those horrible things, and then tried to kill me. I feel that after having that fucker in my head I have earned the right to call him by his name."

At that moment their dinner arrived and Draco motioned for them to move to the table. He pulled her chair out for her and pushed her into the table. The smile she shot him went straight to his loins and he took his own chair, thankful the table would hide any evidence.

"Dig in. I hope you enjoy dinner."

"I am sure I will."

* * *

Harry took a seat at his desk unsure of what to do. He wasn't exactly sure what he expected from admitting he loved the older man. The man had enacted walls around himself that were locked up tighter than fucking Azkaban, and though Harry felt like he was making progress, they had been together for four months. There was no way Severus would be willing to say it back, if ever. He had no idea what he was going to do to fix this, but he wasn't sure if anything was even wrong. All he knew was that the lack of acceptance had caused him some pain and he wasn't sure how to move past it.

"Damnit," he cussed as he hit his fist against the table. This wasn't something he had foreseen and he hated that he had put Severus into this position.

Cursing the splitting headache he had throbbing through his head he pulled a piece of parchment out and grabbed a quill. He was going to fix this the only way he knew how, to write it out.

* * *

Draco smiled as he watched Ginny eat. The conversation had pretty much ceased since food came, both preferring their meal over the art of conversation. They had made significant progress in the half hour before dinner arrived and that was enough for him tonight. He knew it was getting late and he shouldn't keep her much longer tonight – they had all break to get to know one another. He was impressed to note they had nearly finished the bottle of wine, a sign that the evening had become more comfortable for her.

As she finished her meal, placing her used napkin on the table, she spoke with a huge smile on her face. "Thank you for a wonderful evening. I am still stunned that the great Draco Malfoy is interested in me and I am even more shocked to know that he is a great guy."

Draco laughed. "I'm a great guy, huh?"

"From what I gathered from our conversation, I would say yes. You got on the wrong path for a while, but are starting to straighten it out. I want to help with that. I see potential here."

"Me too."

* * *

Severus awoke the next morning feeling like he had been run over by a broom. Groaning he sat up on the side of the bed, his body cracking as he stretched. Last night had not gone the way he had wanted or foreseen. They had been together for four months and yet, somehow the brat loved him and had openly admitted as much last night. Severus had been sent into a spiral of emotions after that. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do to fix this.

He cared about the young man, but it wasn't as though he was ready to admit it out loud. Severus was just as much getting to know himself as he was getting to know himself with Harry. Caring for was about all he could manage at the moment. Sighing he grabbed a change of underwear and headed for the shower, trying to figure out how exactly to fix this.

The hot water relaxed him a bit, though it didn't help ease his mind. He was hoping Harry wouldn't be mad at him, but if there was one thing he knew it was a Gryffindor's tendency to overreact. All he could hope for was the mature Harry would be waiting for him. It would make things so much easier for the both of them.

As he dressed he couldn't stop thinking about the potential fight that was coming. As much as he was hoping for understanding he was not expecting it. Walking into his small kitchen he was surprised to see a bit of parchment on the counter. Knowing he didn't put it there he picked it up and skimmed it, hoping it wasn't something that required his immediate attention. The bigger surprise came when he realized it was from Harry.

_Dear Severus,_

_I am sure this letter is the last thing you are expecting. I want you to know I am not mad at you or upset with you. Last night I said some unfair things that put you into a position you were not ready for. I know it was unfair of me and I am sorry for that._

_It doesn't change my feelings though. I love you and I will happily say it over and over again if you would want to hear it. I don't expect you to say it back. I wouldn't want to hear it from you until you want to say it. We made the agreement when this started we wouldn't rush things or pressure one another. Last night I did just that and I want to apologize again for it._

_I hope we are okay. I figure you let me know one way or another at breakfast. Hope we are also still on for tonight as well. I would like to spend time with you._

_Love,_

_Harry_

Severus smiled and set the letter back down on the counter. It was going to be a good day.


End file.
